Okay, you put like this. Look, when you...you put it like that
You just...
*laughter*
Hey guys, what's up, it's Alex. So, uh, different location today, different project. I mean, London, the UK,
for something that really matters to me. You see there are many different cuisines, many different cultures and each one is unique in its own way.
I have always seen differences as
values, not problems, or, even worse, disabilities. Okay, right. There is someone we need to meet
Yo!
Elizabeth
Nice to meet you
How are you. Good to see you. I can't wait to cook with you. My name is Elizabeth. I'm from South Sudan
I'm a mother of four children. I came in to London as a refugee in year, what they call it,
in 1989 because of the war in my country. So I had to flee my country to be safe. This is why I'm here in
London. So yes, Elizabeth is a refugee, but she's also
She's a chef. You're gonna be my feature today
No problem. No problem? Yeah! I'm a good teacher
I'm a very messy student. I think it's this way. We are now heading to a supermarket.
I hope we can find all the ingredients we need. So the recipes we are making, first one is Asida and the second one is
Molokia. Molokia, so it's a bit misleading
Molokia is the name of the stew but it's in the first place the name of the green leaves
used as a vegetable to make that same dish. You get it?
It's quite common in North Africa where it can be found fresh but,
otherwise, you can find it dried or frozen.
For the Molokia, Yeah we will call Thabieh... t-h-a-b-i-e-h *repeating back spelling*
If we don't get Molokia, we use the spinach.
Right, we can eat quinoa with the spinach.
Because if you want it to be slimy, you've got to put a bit of okra.
Is Molokia supposed to be slimy? Yeah
Onion
We have a kilo. Cinnamon sticks.
Cumin, canned tomatoes, tomato puree -- cool!
We have everything for Molokia. Now Asida. In South Sudan we make Asida with sorghum.
Sorghum is gonna be hard to find. Well, rice, you know
Millet... millet and then the millet. Semolina? Semolina, it works -- it works perfect Perfect! Oh ouais, yes
*off camera* No way!
No way. Sorry, no, I watch your YouTube. I watch your--what--this is weird! I watch your YouTube channel! Oh my god it's French Guy Cooking--no way! ... See ya
We have everything? We have everything. You're sure? Positive.
Okay, so let's go back to the kitchen, then. To find the ingredients you need to cook on a daily basis
do you go to British supermarket, or do you go to ethnic supermarket?
No, I go to both
Is there a neighborhood in London for a South Sudan or for Sudan? Yeah, for Sudanesiens, that is, um, Edgware Road
And you know the good thing about London?
London is a multi-culture wherever you go--any corner--you find yourself.
This way.
What do you think about the kitchen? Is it up to your standards? *laughter* Alex...
Sorry guys I did not have lunch yet, so I'm just gonna eat a bit, but today you are the chef, okay, in the kitchen
Yeah, I'm following your lead, so what is the first recipe we start with?
We are going now to cook a Molokia. Okay.
Cut the onions
These skills I got from Mazí Mas. It's a social enterprise which trained
women from a religious background to cook their own food their own culture. They train them to be a chef
With the cinnamon stick inside and the the thumb of ginger the whole kitchen is smelling like
heaven. As soon as you start to get some color on the onions you want to add the beef in like
manageable pieces, like--I don't know--that's like this big and then drop a can of tomato and lower the heat to medium medium-low.
Massage, massage. I don't want this type of massage. No, thanks.
And let it simmer
So this is the second recipe, right? Yes, Asida. To make Asida you start with water.
Okay, add a bit of oil, a touch of salt and then drop a good amount of a fermenting agent. Elizabeth made one with equal
parts sorghum flour and water, then left at room temperature until bubbly and sour. Don't have it? No problem.
Just use one yogurt and a squeeze of lemon instead. And then you drop in the semolina.
So it's done. We're done.
Refugees being (?) is nothing. Refugees also can give.
That's the best part.
You gave me something today. Yeah, you taught me how to do a Asida, and to do Molokia.
Yeah, merci. C'est très gentil.
I think the experience wouldn't be complete without sharing the food with others, of course, and also without trying
first to eat with my hands. I don't want to learn I want to master it.
You make a spoon. *laughter*
Do I need to use this one? Touch your lips with the fingers or no?
*offscreen* Not as elegant.
Not as elegant, definitely not.
See?
Yeah, that's the trick. You use the thumb as a shovel.
Yeah, look.
Ah, clean, super clean.
Yeah!
See, you did it!
When I taste your food, and it tastes good it creates a bond between us and I want to ask you
Where does it come from, where do you come from? You think it's good or it's bad?
Excellent! We never met before. Without food, how would I know you, you know? We wouldn't. We wouldn't. It would be a shame
Peace!
Okay
Thank you so much!
So I must say meeting Elizabeth was
such a pleasure. Of course, if you liked this video
please give it the thumbs up, like it and share that all over social media using the hashtag #spreaditlikebutter
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You know it's always about food -- you know this! But it's also about
discovering, new cuisine, new culture, new people, okay. Take care, Bye bye! Salut.