« back to Rob Crilly - African Safari home

 

Food on the Frontline

| 3

assida1.jpg

Assida is a thick porridge made from ground millet and is one of the main staples of Darfur. It's eaten by plunging your fingers into the stodgy mound, scooping out a scalding-hot lump and mopping up some of the sauce. For most of my five days with rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement it was served with a gloopy sauce made from okra (with the sort of consistency favoured by makers of the gunge that goes in children's television, erm, gunge machines). The assida itself had a gritty texture - I think from the large amounts of sand that swirled constantly in the air - but didn't taste that bad. It was hot and filling and kept me going until dinnertime.

It is only now, looking at the photograph, that I realise it is exactly the same colour as the sand of Darfur.

3 Comments

user-pic
ielcraig@hotmail.co.uk | May 27, 2009 1:20 PM | Reply

It looks like a cowpat that a camel has then contributed to.

user-pic
Primal Sneeze | May 27, 2009 8:43 PM | Reply

I know it is wrong to criticise another culture's food. But I am gagging (in both senses of the word - as used here in Ireland)!

user-pic
Guy Degen | May 30, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply

And what was for dessert?

What do you think?