HOW TO COOK FISH YASSA | COOKING WITH IDA

#foodie #culinarytravels #fooddestinations #deliciousgambia The Gambia is a great foodie destination. Eating is one of the great joys of travel. Anyone who loves to explore beyond just the sights and sounds of a country, food/culinary excursions are one of our favorite activities in new countries! These unique tours will give you an insight into the local culture of the people and history of each region, at the end, leaving you with an experience you will carry for the rest of your life. People are planning vacations around food and The Gambia is leading the way in West Africa. Today we are cooking our way through West Africa. Unbuckle your belts, sit tight and enjoy the real taste of The Gambia. In one of my trips to the Gambia, I had the privilege of meeting an incredible woman; Ida Cham Njie, - She is a terrific cook who cook with serious love and passion. Ida is like the face of tourism in the Gambia and runs a cooking excursion known, as Yabouy Home cooking. This motherly host opens her home and heart to tourists interested in having a real authentic Gambian experience by way of learning how to cook traditional Gambian food in a traditional way; shares her culture and its culinary traditions with them through her cooking class, while exchanging cultural values. I was invited to participate in one her cooking classes at her home and it was a wonderful and a delicious experience for me. We cooked fish yassa… Upon arriving, you are made to choose and change into a traditional Gambian dress.. (Made by her sister) Followed by a Visit to tanji market where you'll find everything from fresh farm produce, to seafood;( just anything you want) to buy ingredients for your class. Though I couldn't make it to the market with her as I had an early morning engagement but Robin, (another participant) did and she told me it was quite an exciting experience. I arrived just few minutes after they had returned from the market. After I had change, we chopped, sliced, pounded and diced, played games, converse, got acquainted with Gambian flavors and fragrances, and used a traditional metal oven to prepare a meal better than we could have imagined possible and eat together from one plate with her family; very intimate. It’s one thing to learn about the Gambian culinary culture on YouTube but it's another thing to experience it firsthand. If you are planning a vacation to the Gambia, this experience is a must have. I highly recommend it and I guarantee it's going to be the best vacation activity you'll have on this tiny west African country. Named after her mother, Yabouy (Mum) home cooking is like a cooking holiday that will take you to the heart and soul of the Gambian gastronomy and agriculture. It’s worth every single cent.