Yummy Independence!

Namibia stands as one of the newest democracies on the continent.So many similarities overlap between Namibia and her neighbours; food is one such aspect. The movement of different groups of people and similarities in crop and animal production brought us to a place where a plate of pap can be found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Angola, Lesotho, etc.If you have never made traditional Namibian food in your home, this is the time. Do not put it off, just go for it.The best way to know a people, it has been said, is through the food they eat, through sharing a meal.For this independence meal, your challenge is to prepare something that is both unique but relatable and familiar to everyone. I won't tell you what to prepare but will give you a few pointers of what to focus on when preparing your meal. Remember, it should tell a Namibian story, celebrate local ingredients and should be the type of meal that brings people together.Firstly, your meal must be distinctly Namibian. With this, I mean it should include at least one staple from the country's varied collection of foods. Maize, millet (mahangu), sorghum (milo) and wheat are your starting points. Other more exotic local alternatives should be considered too. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised.Secondly, your accompanying vegetables should have at least one grown locally. Namibia is blessed with numerous vegetables, roots, bulbs, fungi and so many more that highlight special elements of our cuisine. Think of omajova, Kalahari truffles, horned melons, wild spinach (omboga), etc.Thirdly, your meat, if included, should highlight the love we have for meat in this nation. Kapana, stews, boils, roasts, whatever it is, let it stand out and prepare it the Namibian way. No stress, no fuss, this is not the time to be fancy, it's time to be as authentic, as real and as genuine with your food as possible. The fourth thing to consider is that it should have all the colours that are represented on the Namibian flag.Make sure you take a photo, share it to your favourite social media platform and tag The Namibian on all platforms, so we can share your independence meals.My independence meal tried to pay homeage to the Namibian flag, but blue food was, to put it mildly, hard to come by.Yellow maize meal for this dish can be found in some grocery stores. I find it a more intriguing alternative to the normal white maize. You can of course substitute it with mahangu, or to be more exciting, oshingali (mashed beans).Yellow Pap with Grilled Lemon Chicken and Garlic OmbogaFor the PapPrepare your yellow pap as you would any other type of pap. Make sure to add a knob of butter at the end. You will thank me later.For the ChickenChicken pieces1 lemonSaltBlack pepperBarbeque/kapana SpiceCayenne pepperMethod• Place chicken in a bowl and squeeze the juice of half a lemon all over it. In a separate tiny bowl, mix all the seasonings, then add to the chicken and marinate for a few hours.• Grill over a fire or in an oven, until cooked. • When done, squeeze remaining half of lemon all over the chickenFor the VegetablesGreen spinach/other traditional vegetables1 onion, diced1 tomato, chopped4 cloves of garlicCurry powderSaltBlack pepperCooking oilMethod• Fry onion in cooking oil until soft. Add garlic and curry powder and cook garlic through before adding tomatoes.• Fry tomato and onion mix until tomatoes are cooked through, add a bit of salt and pepper to taste to your veggie 'gravy.'• Add vegetables to 'gravy' and cook, but be careful not to overcook. They should still have a slight bite and firmness when done.

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