Cali-Inspired African Delights! Check Out 3 Delicious Recipes That Blend 2 Classic Cuisines

There was a time when “fusion” cuisine was something you could only get at fancy restaurants from chefs experimenting in ways we wouldn’t do on our own. But now, cooks are revealing how easy and delicious it is to mesh flavors and cooking styles at home. The latest example is the new cookbook AfriCali, which blends — you guessed it — African and Californian cuisines.

“California food culture embraces the flavors of its immigrant communities while celebrating the state’s agriculture and the flavors of fresh produce,” explains author Kiano Moju. “I bring that philosophy when cooking the dishes of Africa that I grew up eating and enjoyed while traveling.” Try one of these recipes tonight!

Shrimp Fried Rice

(Serves 4)

1⁄2 lb. raw peeled and deveined small shrimp
2 tsp. curry powder
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp. neutral oil
1 cup cooked or frozen mixed vegetables or trimmed French beans
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 1⁄2 cups leftover cooked rice
8 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a bowl, season shrimp with 1 tsp. curry powder, lemon juice and sea salt. Set aside.
2. Heat a wide frying pan over medium- high. Add oil and shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink. Remove and set aside.
3. Add mixed vegetables to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 min. Add carrot, rice and 2 tbsp. garlic ginger paste* and stir. Mix in remaining curry powder and salt; cook 5 min. Add shrimp and green onions. Serve.

*For paste: Leaving the skin on, chop 1⁄3 lb. fresh ginger into 1⁄2″ pieces. Pulse ginger, 30 garlic cloves and 1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt in a food processor until smooth

PER SERVING: 241 cal, 6g protein, 28g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugar, 12g fat.

Lamb Meatballs With Chickpeas

(Serves 4)

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed
1 lb. ground lamb
3⁄4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1⁄2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. garam masala
Handful cilantro, chopped
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Heat a pan over medium. Add oil, onion and cumin seeds; cook 10 min. Add 1 tbsp. garlic ginger paste*; cook 2 min.
2. In a large bowl, mix next 6 ingredients, 1 tsp. sea salt and half of aromatics. Make into 18 meatballs.
3. Heat pan over medium-high and add splash of oil. Brown meatballs on all sides, 10 min. Set aside.
4. Turn to medium; add remaining aromatics, tomatoes, chickpeas and meatballs. Season with salt. Simmer 10 min. Serve.

*For paste: In a food processor, pulse 1⁄3 lb. chopped fresh ginger, 30 garlic cloves and 1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt until smooth.

PER SERVING: 681 cal, 32g protein, 44g carbs, 7g fiber, 5g sugar, 43g fat.

Pumpkin Bread With Glaze

(Serves 12)

2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tbsp. baker’s or chai spice
2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup neutral oil
1⁄2 cup raw unsalted pecans, chopped
1⁄2 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
1⁄4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. sea salt flakes

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ baking pan and line bottom with parchment. Whisk first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a large bowl, whisk next 3 ingredients. Whisk in oil, then fold in flour mixture.
3. Add to pan; bake 40 min. Cool on a rack.
4. Mix pecans, pumpkin seeds and maple syrup in a pan; simmer 5 min. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt flakes. Cool.
5. Spread glaze* on loaf. Top with nut and seed mixture. Serve.

*For glaze: Whisk 1⁄3 cup sugar and 1⁄2 tsp. baker’s or chai spice. Beat in 8 oz. room-temp. cream cheese. Stir in 1⁄3 cup heavy cream; beat 3 min.

PER SERVING: 346 cal, 6g protein, 53g carbs, 2g fiber, 25g sugar, 15g fat.