Spice Up Life

Angola is located in the south of Africa and was once a Portuguese colony, which is has influenced Angolan cuisine through the addition of spices and how dishes are prepared as far as marinating and roasting is concerned. Different ethnicities throughout Angola have also added variation to the cuisine, however, one thing that each region seems to have in common is their love for spicy foods. Many dishes contain fish or other types of seafood and spicy stews are also quite common throughout the regions.

I was actually more fascinated by the differences in cuisines amongst the tribes. The main tribes in Angola – the Ovimbundu, Kimbundu, Bakongo, and the Lunda and Chokwe - all are slightly different. The cuisines of the tribe may reflect their location, occupations, or influences from other settlers. For example the Ovimbundu tribe consists of many farmers, which explains the addition of maize (corn) to many of their dishes. Not only have the different ethnicities shaped the cuisine of Angola, but also surrounding countries and regions such as the Congo and even India and Malaya. So you can imagine how difficult it would be to find a truly “authentic” Angolan dish.

I went with yet another recipe that required skewers. I’ve realized that these dishes, if you could call them that, are perfect for college students like me. They’re easy and quick to prepare and they make a great lunch between classes. They are also guaranteed to be bursting with flavor since the meats are often marinated. Sticking with Angolan culture, I found one that was spicy called Grilled Prawn (or Shrimp) Piri Piri.

One thing I have to say right off the bat, the Piri Piri sauce has kick to it and if you feel congested you won’t after making this. It also smells really good and I got complements on its aroma before it was even cooked with the shrimp. The best part, it’s super easy to make and definitely not short on flavor. Still without access to a grill, I cooked my shrimp in the oven until they were light pink and then broiled them for about one minute. I wish I had a grill since I know these would come out even better, but they were still delicious. I ate mine with rice that I sprinkled with the rest of my Piri Piri paste. Deliciously spicy and flavorful.

If you are looking for something to spice up your diet, this recipe is a great place to start. It’s not heavy, it’s healthy, and it adds some color to the shrimp. I really enjoyed this one, but be careful because you could easily scare people off with the chilies in this. I received compliments on presentation as well, this is a sure keeper. I’m so glad I’ve gone with kebab type recipes since they’ve both been a couple of my favorites to add some much needed pizzazz to my days.