Popular Traditional African food you have to eat (5 best African dishes)

 

African food is very diverse, which each part of Africa continent has its own unique of preparation and use of spices, flavors and cooking techniques. East, North, South and West Africa traditional food would give you and your friends and family even your foe would have the experience taste of our “motherland” dishes. 

 But there’s still a lot more to African cuisine than just plantains and peanut butter stew. From Ghanaian fufu to Nigerian ogi and Senegalese groundnut soup, these spices offer an immensely unique flavor profile that is simultaneously sweet, sour, salty, piquant and even bitter at times. 

Weather you’d like to try out Nigerian jollof rice , egusi soups or bunny chow, with these recipes you will inspire to have more delicious African dishes. In this post, I will be discussing the 5 best African dishes with there recipes. If you are interested in preparing African delicacy so Stay calm and take your time to read this article.

 WHAT IS TRADITIONAL AFRICAN FOOD?

The traditional African diet is mainly base on starchy items, plant consisting of dark green leafy, vegetables, meat, fish, wild fruits, root tubers and a variety of spices. Let look into the 5 best African dishes base on their region.

1. Chakalaka (South African Vegetable Food )

Chakalaka is a south African vegetable made from beans, onions, pepper, fresh veggies and tomatoes. it can be serve with bread, pap, rice and custard.

HOW TO COOK CHAKALAKA; here is a steps to make chakalaka: 

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and slice them until they become light.
• After, stir in the chopped garlic, ginger, and curry powder.
• Add the grated carrots, mix well, and cook for about a minute.
• Add the diced tomatoes. Stir to combine, cover, and cook over low heat for about 5 to 10 mins or till the mixture is thick but still moist.
• Stir in the baked beans and leave to cook for another 5 minutes.

RECIPES: Baked beans, Garlic, Ginger, Onions, Tomatoe, Vegetable oil, Salt , Spicy ingredients (Curry powder ) Carrot.

Serve Chakalaka with bread, White rice, Mashed potatoes. Try it out and feel the yummy delicacy in your tummy.

2. Jollof Rice (Nigerian jollof rice)

Nigerian Jollof rice is an African dish which is packed full of flavor, grainy, delicious, and It's best made in one-pot dish that is made with rice, tomato, peppers, herbs, and spices.

HOW TO COOK NIGERIAN JOLLOF RICE; Here's a detailed step by step on how to cook Nigerian jollof rice:

• First, blend the bell peppers, plum tomatoes, scotch bonnet, and brown onion.

• Place a pot on heat, add oil into the pot, then add in sliced onions. Sautee the onions till they are fragrant and translucent. This should take about 2 minutes. 

• Next, add in the tomato paste. And fry for 5-10 minutes till reduced in quantity and doesn't taste tart.

• Add in the blended peppers, curry powder, dried thyme, stock cubes, bay leaves, and salt. Fry till it is dark red and no longer raw. It will be reduced in quantity, thick and the oil floats to the top of the sauce. This takes about 10 - 15 minutes.

• Add the remaining sliced red onion, sliced tomato, and butter.

• Cover the pot and continue to steam the rice till it's tender.

• Stir the rice and take it off the heat.

RECIPES: Rice, Bell peppers Tomatoes, Brown onion Red onion, Tomato paste, Vegetable oil, Curry powder Thyme, Bay leaves, Stock cubes(known chicken) Salt, Butter.

Serve with roasted chicken, fried plantain, fish and enjoy!

    3. Bami (Nigerian Cornmeal Porridge)

Bami is a Nigerian cornmeal porridge that’s commonly served. Bami is a great way to start your day if you’re trying to eat more gluten-free foods since it’s made with cornmeal and not wheat. Plus, it’s super affordable and easy to make.

HOW TO COOK CORNMEAL PORRIDGE; here is steps to make cornmeal porridge:
 

• add cups of water, cups of coconut milk and a cinnamon stick and boil for 10 minutes . Gradually pour the cornmeal and stir to prevent lumps. (stir with a wooden stick).
• reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes until the mixture is thickens.
• Add vanilla extract , nutmeg and condensed milk. Pour water if needed.
• Turn off the heat, sprinkle nutmeg and serve.

RECIPES: nutmeg, hot pepper flakes, fish or crayfish, yellow cornmeal. Salt, brown sugar.

While it may seem a little strange at first time cooking Bami because if I asked you to mention the porridges you know, only yam porridge will come to your mind. but believe me it’s actually really tasty when seasoned bami porridge well.

   

        4. Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

 Doro Wat is a classic Ethiopian chicken stew that’s flavored with berbere, a red pepper, garlic and ginger-based spice blend. It’s served with a side of injera, a fermented sourdough flatbread that’s traditionally used to sop up the stews and cuisines in Ethiopian cooking. 

Doro Wat is usually served in a variety of restaurants and Ethiopian restaurants, but if you don’t have access to any, you can also make it at home.

HOW TO COOK DORO WAT: here is steps you make doro wat;

• Prep the Chicken – Season chicken with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Cook – Heat a large pot over medium heat until hot, then add the spiced butter and onions. Sauté onions, frequently stirring, until they are deep brown – 7-10 minutes. 
• Add Berbere Spice – After the onions reach a deep brown color, add some more oil, followed by the berbere spice, garlic, and ginger.
• Continue Stirring – Stir for about 2-3 minutes for the flavors to blossom, and the mixture has a deep rich brown color. Be careful not to let it burn. 

• Add Water – Then add about 2-3 cups of water. Add chicken, tomato paste, paprika, basil, and salt, and cook for about 30 minutes.
• Then Eggs – pour in the eggs, thoroughly mix to ensure that the eggs are immersed in the sauce.
• Simmer – Continue cooking until chicken is tender, 10 minutes or more.
• Adjust Seasoning – Adjust sauce thickness and seasoning with water or broth, lemon, and salt. 
• Serve warm.

RECIPES: berbere spice blend, olive oil, butter. Onions, garlic cloves, ginger, whole chicken. Eggs, tomato.

Not afraid to try new things, cool, then we are related. you may also enjoy this stew with white rice. Enjoy your delicacy.

   5. Egusi Soup (Ghanaian Squash Soup)

Egusi soup is a classic Ghanaian stew that’s made with a combination of groundnuts, ground egusi seeds and tomatoes. It’s a very hearty and filling stew that’s usually served as a side in Ghanaian cuisine. Egusi soup is usually eaten with fufu, a Ghanaian mash made out of cassava or yams. It can also be eaten with rice or yam.

HOW TO COOK EGUSI SOUP; here is steps to make Egusi soup:

• Add ground melon to a bowl, add about a cup of water and mix to form a paste then set aside. Wash and chop the spinach, drain in a bowl and set aside.
• Place a big pan on medium heat, add palm oil and heat for about 3 minutes (Do not bleach oil) add the reserved chopped onions and Sautee till translucent
• Add pepper mix, locust beans and stir to combine. Bring to boil for 5 minutes.
• Add the egusi paste in bits to pepper, reduce the heat, do not stir and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for another 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid, and gently stir the soup. The egusi would be lumpy at this point, use the back of a ladle to break the lumps it into desired size/texture
• Add smoked turkey, ground crayfish and crayfish, beef stock (if using) and stir to combine. Add bouillon cubes, taste and adjust accordingly. I didn’t add salt to this soup as the smoked turkey and mackerel already contained salt. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, check at intervals and stir to avoid burning if need be
• Add shredded smoked mackerel and gently stir into the soup. Add chopped spinach, stir to combine and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPES: red bell peppers, hot chili peppers, sliced tomatoes, peeled butternut squash, ground egusi seeds, palm oil, locust beans, mackerel, crayfish.

If you’re fan of a vegan diet, try Egusi soup served with fufu, you can’t afford to wait for the delicious food. 

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