Teff Banana Nut Bread Recipe

 

African recipes by African Gourmet 

Teff flour is a finely ground whole grain flour popular in Ethiopian cooking. Our moist and delicious classic banana bread recipe made with teff is a unique tasting easy to make African recipe. 

Prep time: 15 min 

Cook time: 45 

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2 cups teff flour

2 very ripe bananas

½ cup unsalted walnuts

½ cup of chopped dates

2 large eggs

1 cup of white sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar, mix in eggs and bananas and add all dry ingredients to wet, including nuts and fruits, and mix well. Pour into 2 buttered and floured bread loaf pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Teff grows mainly in the African countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea and is slowly becoming popular in the USA?

Teff grass in Africa and the United States 

Teff is a staple crop in Eritrea and Ethiopia where it is a native annual grass species but is not widely known around the world. The very small seeds are cooked or fermented and have good nutritional content. 

Teff grass is a warm-season annual grass traditionally used as a grain and forages in Ethiopia it is adapted to the high-altitude tropics growing well at temperatures 50 to 85° but requires an 11 to 13 hours to flower. Teff grass was introduced to the United States in the late 50s early 60s but still largely remains unknown. 

In the USA, teff grass is getting a lot of popularity as a late and for some very good reasons. Farmers in Oklahoma, Texas and New England were trying to look for alternative ways to make up for a fodder grazing and hay shortage. 

Teff grass is a warm-season grass with a very fine stem super high-quality hey type product. Horse people love teff grass because of his extreme palatability. Because of its fine stem, Teff grass needs to have at least 65 to 70 degrees soil to plant. 

The seed size is very tiny so you cannot plant very deep or it's not going to grow. It grows extremely well in the heat has exceptional drought tolerance. Teff is a rapid drying grass, unlike sorghum. 

Teff grass grows so well in optimal conditions, in 23 days the grass can grow 20 inches tall. To see if Teff grass is going to be major forage crop in the USA, well it depends on how the market responds. 

Farmers in the United States may be new to planting Teff however in other parts of the world it has been around for thousands of years. Teff is believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC; the seeds were discovered in a pyramid and 3359 BC. 

Since then the seeds have been widely cultivated and is used not only in Ethiopia but in neighboring African countries as well. Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, and Djibouti use Teff grass to make flour. Teff flour can be used in a number of things such as cereal, bread, cookies, and other snacks. 

Today I hope you learned how to make Banan Nut Teff Bread with the African Gourmet. You can use water in your recipe but you can use flat beer, specifically dark beer for a nice rich flavor.

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
2. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
4. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
5. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew

The amaranth plant is an ancient food crop, with cultivation dating back as far as 6700 BC.

Cooked Amaranth leaves are eaten as vegetables, soups, stews and relishes. Leaves and young plant stems are cooked in Kenya and throughout Eastern and Southern Africa as spinach. Kenyan Ukwaju or Kenya tamarind is a sour tasting paste used as a spice. 

Amaranth leaves have a mild flavor and when paired with another local favorite, Ukwaju Kenyan Amaranth Ukwaju Fish Soup makes delicious satisfying African meal. 

Kenyan Amaranth Ukwaju Fish Soup

African Recipes by The African Gourmet 

Kenyan Ukwaju or Kenya tamarind is a sour tasting paste used as a spice. Amaranth leaves have a mild flavor and when paired with Ukwaju, Kenyan Amaranth Ukwaju Fish Soup makes delicious satisfying African recipe. 

Ingredients
1 pound red snapper fillets 
2 large handfuls amaranth or spinach leaves 
1/2 cup tamarind juice 
1 tablespoon tamarind paste 
1 large red onion, chopped 
2 tablespoons tomato paste 
1 teaspoon shallots, chopped 
1 teaspoon onion salt 
1 teaspoon onion powder 
1 teaspoon garlic powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
2 tablespoons salted butter 
4 cups fish stock or water 

Directions

Add all ingredients except amaranth or spinach leaves into a large pot and simmer 30 minutes. Add leaves simmer 5 minutes and serve.

Mabuyu Baobab Juice

Mabuyu Baobab Juice is popular in sub-Saharan African countries, especially in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Tanzania. Made from the dried pulp of the baobab fruit, it is tangy, refreshing, and packed with vitamin C.

Mabuyu Baobab Juice

Quick Facts

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Chill time: 5 minutes
• Total time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings (8 ounces each)
• Calories: 15 per serving
• Fat: 0 g

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dried baobab fruit powder
• 2 cups sparkling water
• Sugar or honey to taste
• Optional: splash of fruit juice (mango, pineapple, or orange)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into a large jar or pitcher and mix well.
2. Add ice and serve immediately.
3. The taste of dried baobab pulp is mild and citrusy—perfect with sparkling water.

🌞 Baobab Morning Affirmations

• 🌳 I sip from the “Tree of Life” and feel grounded and whole.
• 🌳 Like the baobab, I stand strong, rooted, and resilient.
• 🌳 I carry ancient wisdom and earth’s energy into my new day.
• 🌳 My life is nourished with strength, patience, and connection.

A Brief Look at the Baobab Tree

The baobab tree is often called the “Tree of Life” and is legendary for its enormous size and longevity. Its smooth, pink-grey trunk can grow to more than 70 feet tall and 35 feet in diameter, with branches that resemble roots—earning it the name “upside-down tree.”

Baobabs can live for thousands of years. In Zimbabwe, one hollow baobab is so large that up to 40 people can shelter inside its trunk. Across Africa, baobabs have been used as homes, shops, prisons, storage barns, and even bus shelters. Truly, the baobab is unlike any other tree on earth.

Explore More

• Learn more about baobab in African foodways
• Discover more African juice recipes
• Explore traditional African drinks

Taro Root serves as a significant agricultural produce that features in various African cuisines as a staple ingredient.

Taro Root is a staple crop used in many African recipes. It is a tuber that grows underground and has a brown skin and a white flesh. Taro Root is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamin C. It can be boiled, fried, roasted, or mashed to make various dishes. Some of the popular dishes made with Taro Root are fufu, ndole, and cocoyam.

Three quick Taro root facts.

1. Taro root is a starchy vegetable consisting of 2/3 water with a fibrous outer coating.

 
2. Taro root is commonly used in place of potatoes.

 
3. Taro root and leaves should not be eaten raw.

Taro root is a starchy vegetable that has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It is widely used in many cuisines around the world, especially in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. Taro root has many health benefits, such as being rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and antioxidants. It can help lower blood pressure, improve digestion, boost immunity, and prevent constipation. Taro root is also gluten-free and low in calories, making it a good choice for people with celiac disease or those who want to lose weight.

However, taro root is not safe to eat raw. It contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat. To avoid this, taro root must be cooked thoroughly before consumption. You can boil, bake, roast, fry, or mash taro root and use it in various dishes such as soups, stews, curries, salads, desserts, and snacks. Taro root can also be made into flour and used for baking breads and cakes.

If you are looking for a versatile and nutritious vegetable to add to your diet, you should try taro root. It is easy to prepare and has a delicious taste and texture. Just remember to cook it well before eating and enjoy its many benefits.

Taro Root

Taro Root is a highly regarded and widely utilized crop in the culinary traditions of various regions, including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. Its versatility and unique flavor make it a popular ingredient in a wide range of dishes, from savory stews and soups to sweet desserts and snacks. Additionally, Taro Root is known to have numerous health benefits due to its high levels of fiber, vitamin E, and potassium. Overall, it is a valuable and beloved staple in many cultural cuisines. Root goes by many names in Africa; a few names for taro are urap, qolqas, arrow root, ggobe, nduma, madhumbe, idumbe, cocoyam, and malanga.

Taro leaves

Taro Root Tomato Pottage Stew Recipe

Ingredients

2 taro roots

2 handfuls cleaned taro leaves, chopped finely

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons palm oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups vegetable broth

 

Directions

Wash taro root boil with skin in salted water until soft. Drain, peel and cut into pieces. Wash chopped taro leaves and stems boil 5 minutes and drain. In a medium frying pan add palm oil and sauté onions with seasonings; add taro root, leaves, broth, and tomatoes simmer 15 minutes. Serve over fufu or rice.

Taro root is rich in fiber and vitamin E; magnesium improves digestion and may help lower blood sugar.

Sale of Mopane Worms is a multimillion-dollar industry in Southern Africa. The most common ways to eat mopane worms are dried and fresh.

Mopane caterpillars or Mopani worms are an extremely popular meal and industry in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Eating mopane worms is a delicacy throughout Southern Africa. Mopane worms are a common ingredient used in Southern African food recipes. Do not judge African mopane worm stew until you have tried this national dish.  

Eating Mopane Worms

Strong aversion to eating insects is not a physical reaction, but one of a mental dislike. Some cultures are programmed to when you see an insect kill it, not eat! Mental repulsion about eating insects may be a cultural issue since certain societies are raised to think it is uncivilized to eat insects. But why?

Why is it ethically acceptable in certain societies to eat an insect but in another society is considered taboo. The taste is not the issue, but the "thought" of eating insects is the real issue.

Entomophagy is the technical term for eating insects. Insects are rich in protein, sometimes containing three times the amount of protein as beef, and they can be barbecued, fried with tomatoes, onions and garlic and curried.

Nevertheless, in some cultures eating insects is a cultural taboo. According to the Guardian online news journal "Two billion people already eat insects as part of their regular diet – bugs may not sound appealing, but once upon a time neither did sushi."

Mopane worms are a popular dish in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Overharvesting has recently become an issue, it may take up to 50 small larvae to make a meal for one person while five large larvae might be enough for an adult.

The harvesting of small larvae is wasteful and is strongly discouraged in some areas. The Mopane worm is the large brightly colored caterpillar of the emperor moth, which is one of the world’s largest moths. It is called a mopane worm because it feeds on the leaves of mopane trees.

The Mopane worms are as long as a hand and as thick as a cigar and are harvested by hand twice a year. Harvesters squeeze the worms to remove the bright green innards, boiled in salty water, and dried in sun.

mopane worms for sale

Spicy Tomato Garlic Mopane Stew Recipe

Mopane worms are eaten fresh, as a dried snack or cooked in a stew; they tend to soak up the flavor of the dish. Mopane caterpillars or Mopani worms are an extremely popular meal and industry in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Prep time: 2 hours 20 min Cook time: 20 min Total time: 2 hours 40 min

Ingredients  

1/3 cup or 40 grams dried mopane worms

4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced

2 medium Irish potatoes, diced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 small hot pepper, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cups vegetable broth or water

 

Directions 

Soak dried mopanes in warm water for 2 hours to remove some salt changing water every 30 minutes, throw away water. In a large pot on high heat add oil and sauté onions until translucent.

Add remaining ingredients except mopane and stew on medium heat about 20 minutes until the potato is soft. Add mopane and cook until they have softened a bit but still are a little crunchy. Serve over rice or with bread.

Cooking Worms in Southern Africa Fact

In Zimbabwe, mopane worms are a typical ingredient for many recipes.

Mopane worm is a large edible caterpillar of the Gonimbrasia belina, a species of emperor moth.

Mopane worms are known as infinkubala and ifishimu in Zambia.

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

1. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
2. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
3. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew