Book of Days Tales

The Tuesday after the first Monday in July in Zambia is designated as Unity Day, a holiday aimed at fostering unity among the roughly 70 different ethnolinguistic groups in the country.  Today the main ethnic groups in Zambia are Bemba 3.3 million (33.6%), Nyanja 1.8 million (18.2%), Tonga 1.7 million (16.8%), North-Western peoples (including  southern Lunda and the Luvale, Chokwe, Luchazi, Mbunda, Ndembu, and Kaonde) 1 million (10.3%), Lozi (Barotse) 770,000 (7.8%), Mambwe 580,000 (5.9%), Tumbuka 500,000 (5.1%), Lamba 165,000 (2%), Asians 11,900 and Europeans 6,200.

Picking a recipe indicative of all of Zambia is difficult/impossible, but okra soup is popular:

Ingredients

500 gm okra, chopped
2 tsp bicarb
½ tsp salt
1 tomato, chopped
½ red onion, chopped (optional)
2 cups water

Instructions

Put the water, salt, and bicarb into a large cooking pot and bringto a boil.

Add the tomato and onion (if using) and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the okra and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, until the okra is cooked, and the cooking liquid is reduced. 

Serve as a side dish.