The most terrible thing happened this past week. A ban on street food. Yes, a ban on the flavors and culture of eating off the streets of Mansa in disguise as a “health ban.”
That means no more freshly sliced cucumbers, no more warm roasted corn. There will be no more deep-fried cassava, fritters or fries. No more grilled cassava and groundnuts. That means no more boiled sweet potatoes and salt. No more samosas filled with curry potatoes to get me through my 10am hunger madness. There will be no more bamayos chatting over burning braiser fires in their colorful chetenge, and no more after work snacks on my walk home.
This is truly a tragedy in my eyes, and so I make a farewell tribute to all the delicious street foods that will fill my belly no more.
Dear Cucumber, GoodBye
By far my most healthy and in all honesty one of my favorite street foods is the cucumber. I never loved cucumbers until Zambia, and now I can easily say they are one of my favorite foods. Goodbye midmorning snack from the street. I will bring you from home from now on.
Dear Cassava, Farewell
If there is anything I love more than cucumbers, it is tute (cassava). I am not sure how I will survive without my daily minimum of 4 fried tute pieces drenched in salt. Carb haters, I don’t want to hear it! I would maybe be able to survive if I could replace fried with fire roasted tute and groundnuts, but the “health ban” took away even the healthier option as well. Goodbye my carbs-on-carbs-dream-come-true. I will never be full again without you.
Dear Sweet Potato, AdioS
Boiled sweet potatoes are another healthy snack item that was banned in the name of health. Goodbye to a snack I rarely had but will somehow miss more than words can say.
Dear Fire Roasted Corn, Sendaminipo
Sweet corn, fire roasted to perfection. What to say about you? You were the epitome of Zambia. Your grilled kernels filled the air with sweetness and a reminder of the nshima to come. Goodbye my dear fire roasted corn. My floss will feel useless without you.
And to all the snacks I have yet to try. Goodbye. I never knew you, but I know my stomach will never be complete without having tasted you.
The short 7 months I had to enjoy these street foods was far too little. Their memory will haunt my foodie dreams. I will wait with expectant earnest for the day this “health ban” will be no more, and the street is once again filled with food begging to be enjoyed!
How awful! That sounds crazy. Bring back the street food!
My husband in is Zambian and I lived in Ndola and Solwezi i did love the cassava but i respect the bans especially when so many people in Lusaka especially are getting cholers from poor food hygene
I can hear the cry for Public Health as it is my area of expertise, but I think there are more viable solutions to teaching hygiene as opposed to banning the livelihood of all the folks, especially women, who sell food on the street. Thanks for sharing your concern.