ANTH 205 Lecture 20

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Mali Foodways

Ecosystem

Very sensitive; unpredictable climate

Land is not very productive

People are very poor:

• Little variety of food
• 1/3 of population is malnourished
• spend over half income

History

Arab trade introduced rice and certain spices

Europe brought new ingredients:

• Corn
• Peanuns
• Cassava
• Plantains

Most food is prepared in a pot

Staples

Grow really well in harsh climates

• Millet: (first domesticated in Mali about 4.5 Kya) One of most energy-dense grains on planet
• Sorghum: Third most widely grown grain in the US (behind corn and wheat), but we mainly use it for animal feed.
• Rice: More of a luxury food; sometimes smoked; requires a lot of resources to grow

Fats

• Palm oil: semi-solid, red color
• Shea butter: common in Sahel , requires a lot of processing
• Very limited animal fat

Friuts and Vegetables

• Eggplant
• Pumpkin
• Okra
• Cassava
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Yams
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Peppers
• Watermelon
• Papaya
• Leafy vegetables (Baobob, pumpkin)

Protein

• Fish
• Beef
• Chicken
• Goat, Lamb/mutton
• Peanuts

Livestock animals require a lot of resources

Electricity not readily available, so refrigeration is not an option

Variation

• Dependent on Market / Seasonal Availability
• No branded/packaged food
• High sensitivity to subtle variations in quality
• Palate (range of flavors) is not large

Preparation

Very simple

• One pot; few tools
• Boiling and frying are common; ovens are rare

Most possessions are dedicated to food preparation

• Kolo: giant mortar and pestle

Flavor

Fewer spices

• Chili peppers used (often) for "punch"; scotch bonnet peppers are preferred
• Salt is a key ingredient (helps contain water)
• Sumbala condiment made from seeds; builds flavor as a stock; strong umami flavor

Food Structure

Grain with tomato/onion/chili-pepper sauce and oil flavor base

Same dish (name), different ingredients

Porridge is extremely common (usually made with millet and sorghum)

• Moni: watery mix of grain, water, and optionally sugar
• Toh: pastier mix; dipped into sauce
• Fufu: Dough ball used to eat stews (yams, millet, rice, cassava, plantain)

3 meals per day (one larger)

Dining is communal

Fingers (of right hand) are main utensil

Sauces

• Tiga diga na: Peanut-based
• Jaba ji: Onion and Oil
• Saga saga na: Leaf based (potato, baobob)
• Ga na: okra based

Bread

• Ngome: griddled flatbread/pancake (millet, water, and oil)

Desserts

Not very common; customary to eat very substantial meal

If eaten, usually fruits and honey