Koki!

Lea and Christian, the two nurses who work here taught us how to make Koki! Lea came over around 5 and we dug in! There's lots of steps, kind of a process! But so worth it! Christian joined us when she got off work, it was so much fun and such a YUMMY result! So, to make Koki, you start with Koki beans...
Sort them,

Wash them! :)

We had to take the prepared Koki beans over to the machine to be grinded, we are pretty amazed with the African talent of caring thins on your head, EVERYBODY does it here, from little kid on! Today I saw a guy carrying two bags of sement mix on his head! Mary was trying and Lea is an expert... she tried to help Mary but after trying just said "hmmm, I have a spot on my head where I know I can carry things... I can't find yours"

The grinder which saves HOURS of grinding by hand on a stone!

Heating the banana leaves over the fire to clean them and make them soft and flexable.

Mix it up GOOD!! had to keep "stiring" all one direction to fluff it up!

Fill the Banana leaves.

The two cooks who actually knew what they were doing! :)
(notice our colorful notes on the wall behind Christian! :) thank you to all who sent them! :) they make me feel so loved!)

Boil it for... at least an hour... ish ;) It is just such an amazing concept for this ND girl to wrap her mind around the fact that I am cooking with BANANA LEAVES! And I can go out in "my yard" and get them!! Doesn't this just look so, ....wow!?

The finished product!! Several hours later, "Koki" and boiled plantains... It was SO SO SO SO good! But I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the plantains, the Koki however, was incredible!