Maybe they taste like chicken?

A few weeks back, as some of you may know, my classmates and I took part in a pre-departure cultural training that was put on by CIDA and the Centre for Intercultural Learning. This three day training was filled with role playing scenarios and lots of information that I felt would really help prepare us for working in another culture.

Sorghum Porridge

One of the things that we got from the training was a Country Booklet that had information about our individual placement countries. This book included a section on history, culture, politics and geography and then there was one section that had recipes. The first recipe was for a Sorghum porridge which is a staple food in Botswana and comparable to a porridge you may eat in Canada. It was not till I looked at the second recipe that I was a little taken aback. Here is what I saw.

Masonja

Ingredients:

2 kilograms dried phane (caterpillars)

1 teaspoon of salt
3 table spoons of cooking oil
1 onion
1 tomato peeled and diced
1 tablespoon of peri-peri sauce

Directions:

1.       Soak the dried phane in salt water until swollen. Drain. Boil the phane in fresh water and drain again.

2.       Heat oil, add phane, and fry. Add onion, tomato, and peri-peri sauce and simmer until tomoato is cooked.

Masonja

I am not a picky eater by any means although the idea of eating caterpillars freaks me out a little, I am open to trying everything at least once.   You know how the saying goes "when in Rome... " well I guess the same could be said " when in Botswana..." :-)