Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Yams, the African potato, and other such foods

I found out recently that I've been lied to the last nearly 23 years of my life. So, you know yams? Aren't they those yummy orange root vegetables otherwise known as sweet potatoes? NO. They are not. Yams are actually about 15 times the size of a normal potato and white. They taste like a potato, but starchier, and not quite as tasty. I've only had them twice so far. Fried, however, they are pretty good. But isn't everything good when it's fried?

Things I've eaten: banku, looks just like this. It's kinda like bread dough mixed with glue. Not too bad though. We ate it with this pepper sauce that was pretty good and spicy, and little tiny crunchy fish. Not my favorite. We've also had kenkey, which is similar, and a little better.

At the time, we've also been served boiled yams, fried yams, beans, fried plantains, boiled plantains, rice, pasta, and everything is served with a tomato-and-palm-oil-based sauce. Usually with fish. They don't serve fruit at all. Or vegetables (besides the sauce). They cook everything in palm oil. Isn't that really bad for you? Can someone look up what I'm going to have to do to detox when I get back?

I don't have a ton of energy here, by the looks of my diet I guess that's understandable.

Oh, and the pineapple was very good.

3 comments:

ChrisS said...

Really interesting stuff. And I guess it IS understandable that you don't have much energy. Also you don't sleep well because of the goats and the lousy mattress. When you get home we'll pump you full of fresh fruits and veggies and let you sleep 'goat-free' for a couple days before we make you start shooting pictures.

Brooke said...

Maybe I won't come a visit you for my after baby weight loss plan!!!!!

Jenna said...

Good thing you are a skinni-mini already. Aren't African's really skinny? Why isn't this palm oil getting to them.