Country LivingIf you have ever been in West Africa, you know "wax" fabric well.
It's in every market and adorning many women and men,
particularly at special occasions.
"Wax" refers to the manufacturing process,
(not the texture of the fabric)
But, did you know...
The *Akan of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire use cloth
not only for personal adornment ,
but also, metaphorically,
as a powerful expressive medium of communication... .
..
photo : MarketMan
Makes four small jars
1kg/2lb ripe mangoes
250g/8oz caster sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
4 small, sterilised jars
Peel and chop the mangoes, then stir with the sugar
in a large heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan.
Let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight,
so that the mangoes release their juices and the sugar dissolves.
Then bring the saucepan of fruit to a vigorous boil over a high heat,
stirring every now and then to make sure the fruit doesn't stick
to the bottom of the pan.
The mixture will bubble up dramatically, rising high up the sides of the pot.
Skim off any light-coloured foam that rises to the surface.
The jam will soon boil down, beginning to form smaller, thicker bubbles.
When this happens, begin to test the jam by putting a teaspoonful
of the hot mixture on to a plate.
This will serve to cool off the jam quickly so you can tell what
the final texture will be like.
When the jam has cooked to the consistency that you like,
stir in the lemon juice.
Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the jam into the sterilised jars
screw the tops on tight and leave to cool.
When the jam is cool, store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator.
.
Delicious on home-made crunchy and textured bread,
warm from the even..
.
The jam should last for up to a year if properly sealed.
