BOOK EXTRACT | Risky dinner in the boma — bush magic, mystery and mischief

Our boma dinners are usually a highlight for our guests — a magical evening under the African skies, lit by flickering candles and accompanied by the gentle sounds of the bush. It’s a serene, unforgettable experience.

We’ve always believed monkeys sleep at night. At least, that’s what we were told.

One evening, a lovely guest — a frail, soft-spoken lady in her eighties — was quietly enjoying one of our signature starters, a pawpaw and avocado tartare.

Suddenly, out of the dark, a monkey appeared and snatched the tartare right off her plate! It gave her quite the fright — and honestly, it startled all of us. This was completely out of the ordinary. Monkeys are not usually part of the dinner service, especially not at night.

Mabona quickly arranged for a fresh dish to be brought out. Thankfully, the monkey didn’t return. Perhaps he was still savouring his stolen starter in a nearby tree ...

Next came the main course, seafood kebabs. Now, as far as we know, monkeys aren’t particularly fond of fish. But this mysterious little bandit had other ideas. He reappeared targeting the same guest, and made off with the kebab!

Apparently unimpressed with the flavour, he tossed it from a tree moments later. No gratitude, no manners.

What puzzled us most was his choice of victim. Why only this lady? And why was there a monkey active at night at all? The whole thing felt almost ... personal. Even more curious is how monkeys behave differently towards men and women.

When we, the female staff, try to chase them off, they often hold their ground — staring back boldly, sometimes even confronting us. But the moment a man approaches, they scatter. It’s as if they sense who might hesitate, who might be unsure, and they exploit it.

Which leads me to wonder: isn’t that a bit like humans, too?

Recipes from the book:

Prawn curry and creamed spinach vol-au-vents (serves 6)

Ingredients:

200g prawns, deveined and shelled

2 rolls puff pastry

2 tbsp curry masala

1 onion, chopped (plus 1 extra tbsp finely chopped onion for spinach)

4 garlic cloves, chopped

10g fresh ginger, grated

10g fresh coriander, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

6 ripe tomatoes, chopped

300g fresh spinach

3 tbsp olive oil

150ml coconut milk

1 egg yoke (for pastry)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

For the tomato curry base:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Fry the tomatoes, onion garlic, curry masala, ginger, and coriander.

2. Cook gently over very low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally

For the creamed spinach:

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in another pan. Sauté the extra onion until soft, then add the spinach.

4. Season with salt and pepper and cook until just wilted.

For the puff pastry vol-au-vents

5. Using an oval cutter, cut 6 pastry shapes. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Brush with egg yolk and bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden.

7. Once baked, carefully cut each vol-au-vent in half to form two layers.

For the final assembly:

8. Add the prawns to the tomato curry base and cook for l minute.

9. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

1. To assemble: Place a spoonful of creamed spinach in the bottom half of each pastry, top with prawn curry, then cover with the other half of the pastry.

11. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Smoked trout with lemon and chives Chantilly on potato rosti (serves 4)

Ingredients:

120g smoked trout

500ml cream

20g chives, chopped

1 tsp of fresh lemon juice

4 medium potatoes

2 tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Peel and grate the potatoes. Add salt and pepper.

2. Shape the potato rosti into 8 circles, each about 7cm in diameter and 1cm thick.

3. Place the rosti in a pan and fry in olive oil until crispy and golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and let it cool. If they’re too fatty for your taste, use paper towels to sponge the fat off.

1. To make the chives Chantilly, whip the cream until smooth and fluffy. Add lemon juice, chopped chives, salt, and pepper.

5. Marinate the smoked trout with olive oil and pepper.

6. On a plate, place 1 potato rosti, top with the chives Chantilly, then add the smoked trout. Place the second rosti on top as a ‘hat’. Garnlsh wlth fresh chives.

• This is an extract from Dining with Elephants by Francoise Malby-Anthony