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Tendai Rupapa in CHINHOYI

PLUMES of smoke filled the air accompanied by the sweet aroma of sumptuous traditional dishes that were being prepared on open fires during Amai’s tradi­tional cookout competition finals in Mashonaland West Province yesterday.

The cookout competition is the brainchild of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Amai Mnangagwa launched the traditional meal cookout competition in 2020 to promote the uptake of indigenous dishes and ensure citizens benefit from their nutritional value and medic­inal properties.

The oversubscribed event proved to be a roaring success up to the national finals in 2021.

Thereafter she handed over the programme to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.

Yesterday, the host Ministry invited Dr Mnangagwa as the guest of honour.

Adding colour to the event were live performances by music superstars Jah Prayzah and Romeo Gasa as well and as the inimitable police brass band which kept the huge audience on the dance floor.

The finals, which drew two participants per province, saw contestants showcasing their culinary skills and many ways through which traditional dishes can be presented to enhance their appeal.

This comes at a time when most people, especially the younger generation are shunning indigenous dishes in favour of exotic foods which expose them to obesity, diabetes and cardio­vascular diseases, among many other health challenges.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa looks at one of the fruit cocktails packaged by one of the male contestant Mr Terrence Kamutepfa during Amai’s traditional cookout competition finals in Mashonaland West province yesterday

In a fresh turn of events since inception of the programme, two of the 20 contestants were male, showing the appeal of tra­ditional dishes across the gender divide.

To motivate other women, the First Lady also had her kitchen where she prepared sumptuous dishes that included mazondo, rice in peanut butter, sorghum, millet, rapoko and white sadza, roadrunner, tripe and casings and beef bones.

People were spoilt for choice as she offered mouth-watering dishes which included rabbit, bil­tong in peanut butter, Highfiridzi (mixture of beef and vegetables), matemba, madora and mutakura.

For desserts she prepared sweet potato crumble, tsubvu cake and hodzeko cake.

Juices included maheu.

Mrs Gertrude Mugundachani from Mashonaland West Prov­ince had innovative dishes that included egg-coated gogoya, chidhudhu (home-made bread) and home-made wheat bread (chimodo chegorosi).

Mrs Brenda Rudu from the Midlands entered the fray with nzvirimombe cake, mutakura balls, matemba burgers, pump­kin and peanuts cake, okra rolls, pumpkin and sweet fritters, baobab pudding and pumpkin smoothie.

A male contestant, Terrence Kamutepfa (21) from Hare Prov­ince displayed mushroom spring rolls, matemba fritters, nhopi tarts, Peanut butter brownie, Gogoya croquettes and stuffed guinea fowl.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa looks at one of the cakes made from traditional ingredients during Amai’s traditional cookout competition finals in Mashonaland West province yesterday. – Pictures: John Manzongo

He also had biltong in peanut butter and cassava coated pie, sweet potato and avocado kebab, watermelon cocktail and cucum­ber smoothie.

The youngest contestant Gabri­ella Sambo (18) from Bulawayo Province, proved her versatility with starters like sweet potato croquettes, sorghum popcorn, gaka salad, Amakhomane, stuffed peppers ( stuffed with umcaba), macimbi and okra pie and road­runner.

For dessert she offered tsubvu yoghurt, baobab/watermelon cocktail, baobab ice cream, umqokolo muffins and Imbuya biscuits.

From the Midlands Province, Mrs Clara Madzoke came in with mazondo polony, savoury mealie snack made from sweet potato flour mixed with mhunga and, runinga.

The Bulilima San community also participated for the second time having taken part last year.

They were represented by Mrs Moreblessing Tshuma and their village head Matjena Ncube.

Manicaland was represented by Mrs Angeline Muponda and the wife to Chief Makoni, Mrs Redempter Gwasira.

They came up with gogoya chips, gogoya gurashi, chikodza mvana, gogoya in soup, cowpeas meat balls, rolled maguru, beef/goat/fish kebab and pork head.

One of the traditional dishes “Flavoured samp in tripe” which was prepared by a male contestant Mr Nickson Mbofana during Amai’s traditional cookout competition finals in Mashonaland West province yesterday

Also on offer was tungozha/matemba/mushroom pizza with rupiza base, zondo in castle lager, madhumbe/mbambaira cheese cake, tsubvu juice, pumpkin juice.

Masvingo Province displayed mbeva sandwich, harurwa rolls, madora kebab, baobab jam, Marula juice, bread made of marula nuts and Tokwe Mukosi fish.

Mashonaland West repre­sented by Mrs Martha Paul and Mr Nickson Mbofana had flavoured samp in cow intes­tines, muchekecha drink, usiga drink, baobab drink and baobab yoghurt.

Mashonaland East was also well represented.

In her address at the event, the First Lady said if well presented, traditional cuisine could have an addictive effect that brings together people from different walks of life in pursuit of pleasure and the exchange of rich cultural traditions.

“In this regard, I urge the Ministry of of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to continue to work closely with other line ministries and stakeholders to ensure successful hosting of provincial cookout competitions thereby promoting gastronomy tourism.

“The issue of preparing traditional dishes should not be limited to competitions only but should be put on our daily lives. Make it a habit that every meal that we partake at home should have a traditional dish and in that way we should be able to prevent some ailments on account of good nutrition,” she said.

The First Lady said it was her wish to ensure that the Zimbabwe traditional cuisine gains sustainable recognition at both local and international level through hotels, restaurants, airlines among others.

“Other societies have done it and there is absolutely no reason why Zimbabwean cuisine cannot also reach that level. Ladies and gentlemen, I am also very happy that from assessments done, the 2023 provincial competitions, compared to last year, have been a great improvement on the foods offered, the presentation and the recipes as has been attested by the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndlovu during his presentation on the journey walked during the competitions. To this end, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the 2023 cookout competitions in the provinces,” she said.

During her tour of the contestants’ stands, the First Lady said she had realized that contestants had taken the competition to another level where traditional dishes had been prepared differently and a high level of innovation had been demonstrated through their knowledge at talents in preparing traditional cuisine.

“Apart from fulfilling our cultural tradition and culinary experiences, traditional foods can be a means to a living in packaged properly. Their value addition can create synergies with other sectors of the economy including the tourism industry. I am encouraged that some of our hotels and restaurants are now serving more traditional meals, thus presenting an opportunity for job creation for locals as they are major suppliers of traditional ingredients. I have packaged the cookout programme together with Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba to promote and preserve our cultural values and heritage. I therefore challenge the tourism industry to be more innovative in packaging our traditional cuisine with the already existing attractions to form a competitive product,” she said.

The First Lady said previous traditional cookout competitions resulted in the compilation of a traditional cook book, a compendium of different traditional recipes from all the provinces.

“Let me take this opportunity to congratulate all contestants for participating in the national cookout competitions and I urge you to continue coming up with more innovative ways of preparing traditional dishes. Let’s continue to tap on the wisdom and experience of our traditional leaders and elders on how best to preserve our traditions while at the same time deriving maximum economic benefits,” she said.

Winners from the competition will proceed to the regional traditional gastronomy to be held in Masvingo on Africa Day where some neighboring countries will participate.

“Our neighbouring countries are coming on May 25. I urge you to keep the Zimbabwe flag high. Those who are coming will bring their own dishes showing us that which they prepare and eat in their own countries. So this is serious competition as we did not know that what we are doing would please our neighbours who have promised to come here. They are coming to compete with us. It would be embarrassing to be visited and fail to win at least something from there. Last but not least I would like to thank everyone who took part in organizing this event. Vana baba I praise you for coming to see what our women are doing. You have done us proud,” she said to wild applause.

Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi expressed gratitude to the mother of the nation for rolling out the cookout programme to promote indigenous dishes that were nutritious and had medicinal properties.

“As a ministry we are proud of you for the programme you initiated. You advised that finals would be held in the province of the previous year’s winner. In 2021 Amai you handed over the programme to us so that we carry it forward. This programme is encouraging people to consume our traditional food. Without culture we are doomed therefore this is an important programme. Dressing and food identify a person and Amai you also initiated the national dress. And together with the traditional food, you made us complete people as a nation,” she said.

In a speech read on his behalf by his Deputy Raymond Machingura, Higher and Tertiary Education, innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said he was touched by the First Lady’s well-meaning interventions and further spoke on research on properties of traditional foods.

“In this regard as Zimbabweans we are constructing our future following our own designs. In our design, our goal is set through our national vision 2030 as enunciated by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. An upper-middle-income society is our target. We are building our nation using Heritage and Education because a correct education focuses on his heritage for national development. Your Excellency Amai, we are thankful for the programmes you are implementing that restore the dignity and identity of our people through focus on our heritage. The cookout competitions you have rolled out throughout the whole country should not be taken for granted.

“They symbolize consciousness of our cultural heritage. Consciousness leads to self-belief and confidence in a people and their food systems. A nation that does not grow its own food is vulnerable and weak. We would like therefore to thank you Amai for coming up with this noble initiative of the cookout completion which inculcates in our people the importance of growing and cooking our own traditional foods,” he said.

Traditional food, Prof Murwira said, was an expression of culture, history and lifestyle.

“Although we are living in a globalized world, different diets and foods differentiate countries and people one from the other. There is therefore nothing wrong with our traditional foods which are otherwise more nutritious compared to many Western foods. Based on heritage-based education 5.0, our higher and tertiary institutions are now focusing research on our heritage of flora and fauna used in the preparation of our tradional foods,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the spouses of chiefs, Mrs Priscilla Charumbira, the wife to Chief’s Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira expressed their delight in working closely with the First Lady.

“As chiefs’ wives we are proud of the programmes initiated by Amai supporting us as chiefs wives. We were relaxed when the First Lady awakened us as women who stay with the people in the communities, especially women and the girl child hence we must return to our position to mould them and help them work closely with Amai. She wants all programmes to cascade down to the people such that when she starts a programme, we as chiefs wives we carry it forward. Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba, every month in our communities we are doing it with the girls as the chief talks to the boys. We are working with the spouses of headmen and our mother is teaching us a lot,” she said.

The outgoing winner, Ms Sharon Chingwaru, showered the First Lady with praises and said she was now in business owing to her encouragement.

“I am grateful for the First Lady’s programme. The First Lady’s vision and programme empowered me together with other women countrywide through agri-food system innovation and advancing my ability to support women in economic empowerment. The journey I have travelled with the First Lady has transformed my life, lives of those I work with, the community and generations to come. In just one month I manage to come up with products arising from this competition in pharmacies. Amai made it possible for me to have a business in the agro and food sector. I can open a factory and be able to offer more employment to other women and export local food. I thank you heartily Amai, l never expected someone in your position to be so humble, to be so caring and encouraging.

“You would persuade me all the time not to be content with being a 2022 winner. You would encourage me saying, brand your products, register business. Are your products in the shops? This programme really opened my eyes. To all the contestants, l encourage you not to end here at Chinhoyi. Being here is proof you are a winner it’s proof that you have the capacity to develop and empower your community l encourage you to exchange numbers so you can have a network of supportive women to encourage you to push you to achieve Amai’s vision and goals,” she said.

Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said traditional food defined a people.

“Our traditional food speaks about our history as Zimbabweans and also it defines us. Amai is promoting gastronomy tourism. Thank you Amai for introducing this programme to us as Zimbabweans we are proud of you,” she said.

All contestants received food hampers, a two-plate gas stove and tank, and fruit trees.

Winners walked away with prices with Mrs Emma chikamhi from Mashonaland East who came third getting US$1 000 , a 4-plate gas stove and tank and a trophy. On second place was Mrs Clara Madzoke from the Midlands who received a 4-plate gas stove, a tank and US$2 000 while the winner, Mrs Angeline Muponda walked away with a 4-plate gas stove, a tank and US$3 000.

The winners were lost for words.

Mrs Chikamhi said she was so grateful to be among the winners.

“I am grateful for the programme organized by Amai. The First Lady is encouraging us to prepare indigenous dishes which remind us of the food that was consumed by our forefathers. People were favouring exotic dishes yet our traditional dishes build our bodies and have medicinal properties. I thank our mother for this programme,” she said with a broad smile.

Mrs Madzoke could not believe her luck for coming second.

“I would like to give all credit to our mother for coming up with such a programme. This programme has helped so much to be innovative, to be creative, to live a healthy life. My skin is even glowing because I am eating healthy, I am living healthy and also that we are living according to the resources that we have. We do not have to incur other funny expenses because most of the products that we are using are straight from the fields, our gardens and all. I would like to thank Amai for coming up with this programme, its going to help us and we are going to try our best to try and empower all the others out there so that in future we also have other people start living healthy. Thank you Amai, may God bless you,” she said.

The winner, Mrs Muponda was upbeat.

“I have come out tops and hail from Manicaland Province. In our province I came out second so I came up fired to clinch the top prize. What made me win is that I followed all the instructions that were given by our mother that she wants traditional things that nourish people’s bodies, keep diseases at bay and are rich in vitamins. When cooking, we do not prepare a single thing but we come up with dishes that incorporate a lot of the traditional ingredients. Of all the dishes I prepared, I never used cooking oil. I am thankful to our First Lady for her quest to uplift women and ensure they succeed. She is a woman who wants us to build happy marriages with our spouses because she teaches us to be happy with our families while eating healthy,” she said with a chuckle.