The Best Asian Foodie's Excursion is part 2 of our trip through the world and its various cuisines, in the first part we spoke about The Best Asian Foodies Excursion, and now we are going to talk about African cuisine.
Africa is a vast continent, so many different cultures, from this, comes the cuisine, there are some dishes completely different and others almost the same, maybe the way how to cook one or two different spices only. Compared to Asian dishes, it is not having the same taste, not same spices and even not details. For asian you may use rice and noodles or bread to have it with the meals, but in African cuisine, you don't cook with noodles, you may use pasta, bread, and rice only to be served a side (especially bread).
Here I hardly tried to select the best and most famous dishes:
1- Jollof Rice (Nigeria)
Jollof Rice , This is a foolproof recipe for cooking Jollof rice, It is a West Africa’s most popular dish. It can be served as a side with West African-style grilled beef (Suya), but it can also be a main course. this dish exists in Mali, Congo, Ghana, and Nigeria, the fragrant rice is steeped in rich ingredients like meat stock, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and spicy chilies adding an incredible depth of flavor. You may serve it with fried chicken or beef. It's just yummy.
2- Bobotie (South Africa)
South Africa is a beautiful country with an incredible array of culinary traditions. This is because of the various cultures that settled in the area, it has amazing various types of dishes, for the main and most famous is Bobotie, many consider it to be the national dish of South Africa, and it has become popular on menus featuring South Africans. The main ingredient is flavored rice, seasoned ground beef with a slightly sweet curry, topped with a milk and egg custard, and bathed until golden brown, its simply a delicious dish.
3- Tagine ( Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco)
Tagine, is a traditional dish in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, both as a kitchen tool and as a major dish in their cuisines. Tagines are believed to be of nomadic Berber origin, serving as portable ovens that could be easily picked up and moved, the plate or the pot of tajine is made of Clay as shown in the picture, and is called Tajine / Tagine.
This vessels is designed for low-temperature simmering, which allows complex flavors to develop while keeping the ingredients which are most likely vegetables and beef, lamb or chicken , moist and tender. This delicious dish can also be spicy or sweet, the spices used are, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, ginger powder, saffron, paprika, curry, and a touch of lemon juice or coriander and parsley, it is served with homemade bread.
4. Bunny Chow (South Africa)
Bunny Chow, is a fast-food dish that dates back to the 1940s when Indian migrant workers arrived in South Africa. Required to work long hours with short breaks, they had to find a quick way to put their lunch together and the Bunny Chow was born, a white loaf of bread, cut into halves and hollowed out, then filled with your favorite curry, originating off the East Coast of South Africa ( Durban) this dish was originally vegetarian and often consisted of beans or potatoes. As the popularity of Bunny Chow grew, so did the many cultural variations, many of which included meat.
5. Efo Riro (Nigeria)
Efo Riro is a mouthwatering, savory, African stew made with spinach, it is popular in some West African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. The recipes are similar with only slight differences This version is commonly made in Nigeria among the Yoruba tribe, and in the Yoruba language means Nigerian Spinach Stew.
The way to make it is easy and yummy, it is important to use locust beans, smoked fish/dried fish, and palm oil, the rest is Bunches of green vegetables (efo tete) substituted with fresh or frozen spinach, Red bell peppers (tatashe), Onions, Scotch bonnet chilies and pepper, salt, and seasoning.
6. Injera (Ethiopia)
Traditionally made out of teff flour, the world’s tiniest grain and also one of the earliest domesticated plants having originated in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Injera ,It’s a sourdough flatbread unlike any other sourdough. It starts out looking like a crepe but then develops a unique porous and slightly spongy texture. The thin batter is poured onto the cooking surface, to make it softer. The ingredients are simple, traditionally made out of teff flour, the world’s tiniest grain and also one of the earliest domesticated plants having originated in Ethiopians and Eritrea.
7. Pap en Vleis/Shisa Nyama (South Africa)
Pap en Vleis/ literally, “maize porridge and meat”, can be cooked to be runny, soft, or stiff. Any time of the day is a great time to enjoy pap - breakfast, lunch, or supper. It is a staple in many homes, main thanks to its cost and versatility, and Shisa Nyama, “means burn the meat”, for this dish the ingredients are salt, maize meal , some butter, say sauce and teriyaki sauce, beef strips and some vegetables.
8. Moambe Chicken (Congo)
Moambe chicken, is a rich and hearty stew and is the national dish of the Republic of Congo. Interestingly, Moambe chicken is also considered the national dish of Angola (moamba de galinha) and Gabon (poulet nyembwe). It is also a household name in Belgium.
Moambe chicken stew is primarily made with chicken cooked with peanut butter, palm oil, garlic, tomato sauce, and spices, it is an irresistible deliciousness.
9. Chakalaka (South Africa)
Chakalaka, Simple yet pleasing in every way, this South African–born spicy vegetable side can be as spicy or as mild as you like it. As the legend it was was developed by men working in the goldmines- they put together vegetables on hand together with canned beans to form a great relish to pair with their starchy side, this simply amazing is good to be paired with barbecue or any protein.
10. Ugali (Kenya)
Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from mails ze or corn flour in several countries in Africa. It is best if it is paired with greens such as sukuma wiki, roster beef or lamb, fish, or stew.
11. Kelewele (Ghana)
These spicy fried plantains are the staple dish at every gathering that acted as a bridge between her communities in Ghana and America.
Kelewele is actually super easy to make, are simply chopping, seasoning and frying, it is street food and could be homemade.
12. Couscous (North Africa: Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania)
Couscous is a traditional North African dish made from steamed semolina granules. It's often served with a stew of vegetables and meat or fish. This tasty dish can be served as well sweet topped with Nuts and honey,I is a staple in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya, have gained popularity worldwide for their delicious flavor and versatility.
I would love it if my African friend's readers could add anything to share more information about their cuisine.
Enjoy and Bon appetite
See you in the third part of our foodies Excursion.
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