Taħlita Perfetta is all about meeting different people and bridging the gap between nations through their culture and food. After all, everyone eats, so what better way to integrate and foster a more caring community than over some traditional cuisine?

Season 2 has come to an end, and to close off this season, Dora met with Drissa. Vibrant, friendly, and straight-up honest, Drissa tells us all about his home, Mali,  and why he loves Malta.

Drissa welcomed Dora and the rest of the crew into his home and taught us all about Chô, Dèguè, Maouloud, and the many different languages he speaks.

Prepared just on Maouloud, Chô is the typical dish associated with giving charity in Mali. Explaining the festivities that go on in Mosque, Maouloud is the time when everyone from the community comes together to celebrate Mohammed’s birth.

On this day, it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. Food, money, and fun are spread across the whole community on this day, making Maouloud a joyful day for everyone.

Here’s how to make Chô at home

Ingredients:

• Half a kilo of beans
• One litre of water
• A little bit of salt and sugar
• Your choice of meat (pork, fish, beef, etc.)
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 garlic
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Your preferred spices

Cooking it is simple, just oil your pan and cook your meat. Once you’ve done that, and all of the other ingredients in a pot and let simmer until fragrant.

Here’s how to make Dèguè

Using the millet grain, mix this grain with milk, sweetened condensed milk, or yoghurt. Add in your preferred spices and dried fruit and you’re good to go.

Finishing off the meal with Dèguè, Dora and Drissa got to chatting about all the ups and downs of living in Malta.

Integrating was always a very important thing for Drissa, so he attended an English language school to be able to communicate, and he also learnt all about Malta and its culture through the I Belong courses. 

Having been here for roughly three years, Drissa has really made Malta his home with the help of his friends and the support he has found from locals. Working as a supervisor and even using qalbi in his everyday vocabulary, Drissa is a good example of how personal commitment and an inclusive host community make the perfect recipe for integration in Malta.

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