Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Egyptian Red Onion Potato Salad

Egyptian red onion potato salad, Egypt walking onions and hieroglyphics recipe and facts.

Egyptian walking onions were used as hieroglyphics
Egyptian walking onions were used as hieroglyphics

Egyptians love growing, eating and revering onions; walking onions were used as hieroglyphics and the rings inside round onions were thought of as a cosmic symbol of the universe. The Onion, if suspended in a room, possesses the magical powers of attracting and absorbing sicknesses, they were used during burials of Pharaohs.

What are Hieroglyphics? Egyptian Hieroglyphics are characters in which symbols represent objects and ideas read from left to right. Hieroglyphics can be pictures of living creatures such as an owl, objects used in daily life such as a basket or symbols such as lasso.

Most of the pictures stand for the object they represent, but usually, they stand for sounds. Egyptian Hieroglyphics are characters which symbols represent ideas. Hieroglyphics are pics of living things and objects used in daily life.

The Onion was also formerly held in the highest esteem as a religious symbol in the divinations of the Egyptians. To dream of Onions is considered of evil augury, portending sickness and misfortune.


Egypt Onion Production

Onions are one of Egypt’s most important export crops after oranges and potatoes. Egypt is the world’s third highest onion producing country and Africa’s top onion producing country. Egyptians are credited as being one of the first groups of people to practice agriculture on a large scale with agriculture almost entirely dependent on irrigation from the Nile River.

Egypt, Sudan and Algeria are the three leading onion producing African countries in the world.


Top 10 Onion Producing African Countries

Egypt

Sudan

Algeria

Niger

Nigeria

Morocco

South Africa

Senegal

Uganda

Ethiopia


Onion bulbs are boiled, fried, fresh, dried, frozen, canned, pickled, and used in salads and soup. Certain varieties of onions are preferred for certain dishes. Yellow onions have a strong flavor and are very sharp-tasting while white onions have mid-tone flavors and red onions have a mild taste usually used raw in salads and sandwiches or picked. Green onions also have a mild taste and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Whole uncut raw onion bulbs can be stored for without deteriorating in a cool, dry, dark place for around 2-3 months. In many Egyptian onion-growing regions, it is a major source of income for rural families who sell their produce in local, regional and international markets.

Recipe. Egyptians love growing, eating and revering onions. Make red onion potato salad just like a home chef from Egypt.


Egyptian Onion Potato Salad

Ingredients

5 large medium-starch potatoes

2 medium red onions, chopped

2 hardboiled eggs

¼ cup finely chopped green onions

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup lemon juice

To taste salt and pepper


Directions

Cook, peel and dice the potatoes. Peel and chop the eggs. Place the potatoes, eggs, white onions and green onions, parsley, and oil in a large salad bowl. In a separate bowl, crush the garlic with the salt, add lemon juice and stir. Add the dressing to the other ingredients and toss. Serve chilled.

Did you know? Egypt walking onions are also known as tree onions can withstand below zero temperatures. Many tree onions are very strong flavored, although some plant varieties are mild and sweet.

Egyptian hieroglyphics plants flowers seeds
Egyptian hieroglyphics plants flowers seeds

What do the hieroglyphics symbols mean?

A an Egyptian vulture
B a foot
C a basket with handle
D a hand
E a reed
F a horned viper, an Egyptian snake
G a jar-stand
H a reed shelter
I a reed
J a cobra
K the basket with the handle
L a lion
M an owl
N a zigzag symbol for water
O a lasso
P a square stool
Q a symbol for the slope of a hill
R a mouth
S a piece of linen folded over
T a bun
U a quail chick
V a horned viper
W a quail chick
X a basket and folded linen
Y two reeds
Z a door bolt
CH a hobble
KH a ball of string
SH the rectangle which is the symbol for land


Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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