Tendai Rupapa in NYANGA
TRADITIONAL dishes being promoted by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa have, apart from benefiting consumers with their high nutritional value and medicinal properties, contributed significantly to employment creation and boosting gastronomy tourism.
Hoteliers and restaurant operators are enjoying brisk business, selling traditional dishes which have a ready market locally and globally.
Former winners of the competition who spoke at the finals of Amai’s traditional meal cookout held at Claremont Resort in Nyanga on Saturday, confirmed they were now employers.
On the day of the competition, tongues of fire licked the bases of huge pots, with the irresistible aroma of various dishes filling the air as professional chefs, culinary students and women from the communities battled for honours.
There were six contestants per province under the three categories.
Chefs from regional countries like Malawi and Botswana participated in support of their colleagues where they showcased their traditional dishes.
It was a battle of wits as participants packaged their dishes in innovative ways to maintain the interest of consumers amid the realisation that most people, especially youths, shunned traditional dishes, preferring exotic dishes.
Traditional dishes are famed for their high nutritional value and medicinal properties unlike exotic dishes which expose people to diseases.
However, Amai Mnangagwa is changing the narrative with most people now embracing indigenous dishes.
Also involvement of youths in the competition speaks volumes on how they are now seeing the importance of consuming traditional dishes.
In the students and professional chefs, category, contestants were judged for proper chefs’ kit, personal presentation, cleanliness, skill, creativity, originality, taste, texture, edibility, confidence, presentation.
For the community, they were looking at personal hygiene, food hygiene, equipment hygiene, menu variety, innovation, wastage, edibility, colour combination, confidence, presentation, portion size, flavour and taste.
While professional chefs and students largely displayed various innovative skills, the community members merely prepared their meals the traditional way.
The cook-out programme is the brainchild of Amai Mnangagwa which she later handed over to the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
The nimble-footed were kept on their toes by Killer T, Andy Muridzo, Diana Samkange, Iyasa arts group and the ZPCS band who provided entertainment.
So captivating were the performances that even foreign delegates could not resist getting down to the music.
Amai Mnangagwa described the overwhelming responses from the students’ fraternity as an indication of the eagerness by young people to be part of the great initiative, thereby demystifying the notion that the young populace had no regard for traditional cuisines.
“The involvement of students, professional chefs and communities is greatly appreciated. This is the spirit of inclusivity which is in line with the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind. I am glad that the competition has received overwhelming responses from the students’ fraternity, an indication of the eagerness of our young people to be part of this great initiative, thereby demystifying the notion that the young populace has no regard for traditional cuisines. To this end, I call upon everyone to join us in closing the generational gap through the preservation of our values and norms as we mould our future,” she said.
Former winners of the competition paid glowing tribute to the First Lady for placing them on the pedestal of success through indigenous dishes.
“The cookout competition is a remarkable programme which has transformed the lives of many women. Allow me to thank you Amai, the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for coming up with this programme and for championing women empowerment programmes. In light of the President’s vision to have an upper middle income society by 2030, you are truly leaving no one and no place behind. Ladies and gentlemen, I am the 2023 national cookout winner from Manicaland Province. I won this competition in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West and I entered the Sadc Cookout competition as well which was organised by Amai,” she said.
“As I stand before you, you can see that I look young because of eating traditional dishes. Through the First Lady’s teachings, we are moving around into villages and communities teaching people to cook traditional dishes. I read a story in the press recently that in Harare there were many divorce cases recorded, but here in Manicaland no one has registered for divorce because we are able to cook for our husbands traditional dishes,” she said in jest.
“We want to thank Amai for this programme because traditional dishes keep diseases at bay. We are not sickling because of partaking traditional dishes. The programme you introduced to us is enabling us to have income through this food which is on demand in these times we are living. Traditional dishes are healthy and medicinal. Here we were lucky that Chief Mutasa gave us space to operate from as we prepare traditional dishes,” said Mrs Angeline Muponda
Yet another former winner Mrs Angela Moloi shared her tale adding that she now employs 25 people.
“I went to Victoria Falls for the 2022 finals and emerged a first runner-up. On October 6, 2023 I was invited by Amai to go to Spain for the eighth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism where we showcased our Zimbabwean dishes. We cooked many dishes among them rupiza, nhopi which were a hot favourite with the delegates and I was awestruck. They welcomed our food. After I won in 2022 I went to look for a job at a mine which employs 1000 people in Goromonzi. I went with my certificate from Amai’s cookout competition and they gave me the job to cook for their employees and as I speak I employ 25 people in my kitchen. I just do not know how sufficiently I can thank you for the love that you show us daily Amai. In February this year, I was phoned by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to visit India because of the organic food that I prepare for diabetics. I went to India because of the cookout competition which put me on the map and when I was displaying my dishes telling them that this is our indigenous food from Zimbabwe they said they wanted me to prepare food to feed millions of people there. Ladies and gentlemen, when the First Lady rallies us to enter such competitions, do not mix this with politics. This is apolitical; arise and work mudzimai,” she said to great applause.
Malawian chefs showcased dishes from their motherland which comprised Red bean, Bonongwe vegetables which helps with easy digestion, manina (mazondo), Kilombero rice soaked in water and is eaten as a snack.
They also prepared sikanyanga plant (prickly pear) in stew which is rich in Iron and sinjoro which is groundnut flour.
Mrs Malebogo Dintwe, a chef from Botswana showcased her domestic cuisine.
She applauded the First Lady for promoting gastronomy tourism.
She prepared Seswaa, Matlebakwane, Mogatla, Diphapgatha, Magwinya, Mosutlhwane, Morogo waSetswana, Lephutshe, Gemmeree and Legapu.
Ms Grace Chitenhere (24) a student from Great Zimbabwe University in Masvingo showcased stuffed zondo, sweet potato lasagna, stuffed guru on a bed of covo, stir-fried Harurwa, flying ants (ishwa) and termites (majuru).
From Mashonaland West Province, Victor Dambaza (25) from Mt Hampden Training Centre prepared a motley of dishes whose starter comprised matohwe, masawu, tsubvu and magaka.
The main meal featured stuffed goat head served with rice in peanut butter as well as roundnuts burger.
His dessert had pumpkin cake, berry ice-cream where he blended berries, milk and whipping cream.
His beverages were jam wine, sweet potato smoothie where he prepared sweet potatoes and blended them with milk as well as pumpkin smoothie.
Primrose Fari (27), a student at Mkoba Teachers College weighed in with murumanyama milkshake where she soaked the tree bark overnight, took egg white, milk and blended together.
She then added condensed milk.
She said Murumanyama cures tummy ache, hence the milkshake is medicinal and rich in nutrients.
Fari also prepared ndorani soup which is both curative and cleanses the system, while fighting the cold.
Her rich dishes included stuffed rabbit (stuffed with dried vegetables, grasshopper and termites) as well as avocado chips.
Mildred Maripiya from Madziva Teachers College in Mashonaland Central Province brought in nyii fruit cake where nyii was used as raisins.
The same wild fruit was incorporated in the dough where after boiling, the seeds were removed and mixed with wheat flour.
Mrs Rejoice Gundura from Masvingo community presented pumpkin sadza where pumpkin seeds were roasted and ground on stone to make powder which was mixed with sorghum and served with road runner.
She also had sweet potato noodles that were served with oxtail stew.
She also presented gorosi bread, juices included watermelon and tsubvu smoothie.
Mrs Dorothy Murasiranwa from Harare Province had home-made bread stuffed with brown rice, rapoko licks which substitute Shebbert, coated guinea for a snack and goat kebab.
She made a three-in-one sadza pot which was a fusion of millet, maize-meal and sorghum which was served with dried beef in peanut butter and dried vegetables.
“This is a good programme that encourages us as youths not to forsake our tradition and I am thankful to Amai who brought this unique programme to us so that our nation continues going forward while eating healthy food. We can market our nation through traditional dishes and gastronomy tourism,” said one of the participants
Ms Gundura from Masvingo Province paid tribute to Dr Mnangagwa for her benevolence and for rolling out the educative programme.
“I thank our First lady for this programme that she brought which helps boost our expertise through the exposure we are getting. Our children will also be able to consume traditional dishes. We make noodles from sweet potatoes that our children cannot resist. If you give a child sweet potatoes, he might reject but if you make noodles from them the child will want to partake. Here we have harurwa, quelea birds, goat intestines and magandari. For breakfast we have zumbani tea and lemon tea as well as home-baked bread. We also have quelea bird eggs, sweet potatoes, mutakura and pumpkins. For starter I used pumpkin, sweet potatoes and hubva. In place of sugar we use honey. I thank our mother for the programme. As youths we were favouring Western dishes. Now we have innovative dishes where we use locally available ingredients,” she said
Gogo Ratidzo Matsika (64) from Zvimba in Mashonaland West Province, was over the moon. She said she had reached her age through consuming indigenous dishes which had high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
“I prepared zumbani tea because it helps fight the cold. Makoni tea lowers hypertension. Lemon grass tea also fights the cold and flues. I also baked home-made bread using sorghum and this is healthier than that made from grain. I also prepared mice which we ate in days gone by. To reach 60 years of age is through God’s grace because we have been eating these kind of dishes. I also prepared fish stew. We also have manyanya which are dug from the mountains and help in terms of health as relish. We would also eat Guinea birds which were trapped by our grandfathers. I am happy that I have managed to compete with youngsters who are also following in our path. We also have dried mangos and other wild fruits,” she said.
Mrs Sindisiwe Ngwenya, the wife to chief Kavula from Binga was part of the programme and she showcased dishes from her home area.
“I have some dishes that I have prepared today mainly from Matabeleland North Province. The first thing I have is bondasi which I can eat as a fruit or dessert after mixing it with milk. It is sweet. I also have a smoothie that I have prepared with pumpkins and some roots that we find in Binga from a tree called Uwidi. This tree boosts an individual’s immune system and makes someone very strong. I also have isilele which again boosts someone’s immune system and helps people with eyesight challenges,” she said.
Among the students, one prepared ndorani chewing gum.
The Bulilima San community was represented by Sangiweyinkosi Khumalo who showcased
Nyawudi nhopi which she said boosts the immune system.
She showcased the traditional fruit muvhiyo which she said was good for the eyesight and cured red eyes.
A professional chef, Dhuvai Mhike from Masvingo Province shared the dishes he had on offer.
“Today we have hanga, rice in peanut butter, rabbit meat and sorghum sadza. We have dried meat and millet sadza mixed with sorghum. We have fish rolled with sweet corn and carrots. We have road runner stuffed with black jack and sweet potatoes,” he said confidently.
Mrs Tendai Mapeture, a class one chef from Regency Fairmile Hotels spoke glowingly about the First Lady’s programme.
“People are welcoming these dishes in our hotels. We are preparing traditional dishes so that people remain healthy. Today I have road runner chicken which I did not prepare the conventional way we are used to at home. I took a breast, shredded it then covered it with chicken skin so that it looks different. At first sight it does not look like a road runner. I also have cow intestines that I prepared in a modern way so that it is appealing and I will serve it with sorghum sadza. I also rolled Matemba in fish skin so that it looks different. I deboned a bream and cooked it traditionally. I also have zondo which I cooked without bones. I also stuffed a butternut with chicken so that it gives a good flavour. I also took horned cucumber and made juice before I added food colour. This programme brought about by our First Lady help us in terms of cancers because if we consume that traditional foods we will be protected from ailments and live longer. We thank you for this programme Amai,” she said.
Elliat Chipanga a professional chef from ZCDC was also in the race.
I have prepared many dishes like fish cocktail, harurwa wrap with avocado, birds (ngozha), madora and masawu pesto. I have roasted pumpkin seeds which have health benefits like regenerating red blood cells. I also have rice in peanut butter, stuffed zondo and black jack which boost the immune system. I stuffed the zondo with mushroom which helps in generating red blood cells. I prepared cassava roast and moringa cheese cake, masawu crumble and baobab. Our dishes are well received because they revive health benefits and cure certain ailments. Some of the dishes we learnt at culinary school are mainly western but now we have our dishes which are cheaper and readily available. I thank our mother for letting us compete as professional chefs,” he said.
Janet Matika from Belvedere Teachers’ College came out tops in the students’ category and was presented with a laptop, four plate gas stove and gas tank, US$1 500 cash and a Holiday in Nyanga.
The Community category was won by Mrs Buhlewenkosi Nkala from Matabeleland South Province who walked away with a four-plate gas stove, gas tank, US$2 500 cash and holiday voucher.
The professional chefs’ category was won by Colleen Ngorima from Holiday Inn Harare who received US$3 000 cash, a four-plate gas stove, gas tank and a holiday voucher. The winners also received trophies that are in the shape of a three-legged pot.
All contestants received food hampers and maize seed courtesy of Dr Mnangagwa. – Herald