Summer weekends are all about attending and enjoying different festivals and events. We find ourselves in Surrey today to support the 2023 Filipino Fiesta Extravaganza. While researching that event, I discovered the Surrey Fusion Festival happening nearby on the same weekend. It is the biggest multicultural event in BC (according to their website).
I haven't seen anything like this! I saw food booths from six continents (sorry, Antarctica). It was pretty overwhelming. We decided to focus on African nations since our only experience with their cuisine was when we had dinner ONCE at Simba's Grill.
But, before that, we dropped by the Indigenous Village.
Bannock from Bannock Queen Bakery
Yay! I'm always happy to support Indigenous businesses, and I love Bannock. This one is not deep-fried like West Coast Bannock, so it's not as airy, but it's still surprisingly soft and light. It's not as heavy and dense as what I am familiar with.
|
| Classic Bannock with butter from Bannock Queen Bakery |
After finishing our Bannock, our first stop was the Democratic Republic of Congo. After perusing the menu and going near the counter, the lady said their food was not yet ready. Sad. We had planned to come back but were food coma already.
Ugali (Fufu) from Rwanda
We had zero knowledge of African cuisine, so we ordered unfamiliar things. They offered rice with chicken & cassava leaves or ugali (fufu) with chicken & cassava leaves. Of course, I went for the ugali (fufu).
Hubby and I found a spot with tables and chairs under a tent in the middle of one of the gardens. Hubby was reading to me what ugali (fufu) is.
Ugali, also known as fufu in some regions, is a traditional staple food in many African countries, including Rwanda. It is made from maize flour (cornmeal) mixed with water and cooked to a thick, dough-like consistency.
|
| Ugali (Fufu), Chicken, and Cassava Leaves from Taste of Rwanda |
Ugali has a dense and firm consistency. It's like sticky rice but chewier. It absorbs the sauce from the chicken stew and the cassava leaves. The cassava leaves stew looks like our Filipino Laing but without the coconut milk and spiciness.
Mandazi from Zambia
After enjoying our Ugali from Rwanda, we stopped by Zambia and got the Mandazi. It's a popular snack in various African countries, including Zambia.
|
| Mandazi from Zambia |
It is a deep-fried doughnut or fried bread with a mildly sweet taste. The exterior is crunchy and golden brown, while the interior is soft and pillowy.
Beef Suya from Nigeria
We die with this one. The beef suya was tender and easy to chew, and the flavour was remarkable. However, it was topped with spicy flavouring. I took the first bite and immediately told my husband it was spicy. I love hot food, so my hubby knows when I say something is spicy (for me), it probably is. It's a delicious spicy but still too much for us.
I removed the powder from some pieces so my husband could try it. We found a beautiful spot under the trees and got chairs to cool down. My lips felt puffy and numb afterwards.
Suya is a popular Nigerian street food made from thinly sliced beef marinated in a mixture of spices before being grilled or babecued over an open flame.
|
| Beef Suya from Nigeria |
After finishing the suya and listening to nearby entertainment, I started to doze off. I took a 15-minute nap enjoying the cool breeze.
|
| Holland Park, Surrey |
After my nap, we got free freezies (ice candy) from real estate developer, Parkway. Then, we walked through the rest of the booth to find anything else interesting. I am full, so choosing one last meal at the festival is essential.
Lamb Chop, Sausage, and Corn from Namibia
We settled on a lamb chop, sausage, and corn from Namibia because it's the only one not offered in other African countries' booths.
|
| Corn, Sausage, and Lamb Chops from Namibia |
The lamb chop is tender and succulent, grilled to perfection, bursting with savoury and smoky flavours. Meanwhile, the Namibian sausages (boerewors) are grilled over an open flame. Lastly, corn is a staple in many dishes and the same with links. It is grilled in an open flame adding smoky sweetness to the maize.
Sago't Gulaman from Philippines
To end our food adventure, we wanted cold sweets. We're hoping Kumare in the Philippines booth offers halo-halo, but sago't gulaman hits the spot too.
|
| Sago't Gulaman from Kumare |
We enjoyed our sweet drink on the walk to the King George station.
