|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
With a total of 54 countries, all boasting diverse flavors, ingredients and cuisines, one may ask where do you start when it comes to exploring dishes across Africa. It may be as simple as starting with the 10 most popular African foods to get started.
“Africa is as vast as it is diverse, where no two countries are the same in culture, but will still have similarities once we begin to unpack the depths of food culture,” says Freda Muyambo, a food writer and founder of the blog My Burnt Orange. “What each country brings to the global food stage is most likely happening on several levels.”
Both on the continent and around the world, chefs, food creators and home cooks are changing the narratives of African food and introducing global palettes to the flavors they grew up adoring as kids, steeped in rich cultural traditions.
As someone who also shares African food culture, Muyambo says, “Many content creators are now sharing their food as it is, not as what they think would appeal to a wider audience. Whilst neither approach is better than the other, it demonstrates a journey of discovery to anyone who wishes to dip their toes in on the surface or take a deep dive into African cuisine.”
10 Most Popular African Foods Unleashing Flavor and Culture
If you are new to exploring African food culture or looking to dig your forks into it more, there is no better place to start than with the ten most popular African foods. From North to South, East to West and all in between, these foods are not only staples, but they are wrapped in culture and history.
These dishes are also by no means in any order of popularity, and they are far from the end of a long list of dishes that chefs and food creators across the continent share on their websites and social media platforms. However, it’s a great start, so get ready to take your taste buds on a delicious culinary adventure through Africa.
1. Jollof – While fun food wars between countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia play into why this rice dish simmered in a tomato stew with seasonings is loved by many, UNESCO declared Senegal as its birthplace this year. The dish is the perfect side dish complement that can also be served as a main course with added meat or seafood.
2. Fufu – Togolese foodprenuer Adjo Hounso is doing her part to introduce fufu to as many people through her brand FUFU n’ Sauce based in St. Louis, Missouri. The West African staple is made from the starchy root vegetable cassava (also called yuca) and eaten with soups and stews. Head to a Nigerian or Ghanaian restaurant and you’ll definitely see it on the menu.
3. Bunny Chow – South Africa is known for this Indian street food that is made with a blend of spices, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), potatoes and some type of meat such as chicken or lamb or eaten with just vegetables and served in a hallow bread bowl. It is too yummy to pass up and is the comfort food you didn’t know you needed.
4. Bobotie – Another South African favorite, bobotie (pronounced ba-bo-tea) is the country’s national dish that is as savory as it is filling. This casserole dish combines seasoned ground beef and curry that is then topped with a milk and egg custard. The seasoning can add a little spice, which is right up our alley of flavors.
5. Dori Wat – Speaking of spicy, this Ethiopian chicken stew is the perfect melody of flavors. As one of the national dishes of Ethiopia, your taste buds will enjoy this caramelized onion-based dish made with spiced butter and berbere and eaten with injera.
6. Tangine – Heading to North Africa and countries like Morocco, you can skip a meal when tagine is involved. The word references both the hearty stew as well as the clay cooking pot used to make tender and savory lamb recipes. Tagine the stew is a traditional Moroccan dish of braised chicken, spices, olives, garlic, onion and preserved lemon. It is one-pot cooking at its best and even better when served with couscous.
7. Egusi – It is hard to talk about Nigerian cuisine without mentioning egusi. This West African soup made with ground melon seeds and leafy vegetables, also adds fish, goat or beef for a full, hearty meal that is served with fufu.
8. Maafe – This Senegalese peanut stew is so good and boasts flavor balanced with a touch of heat. Peanut butter, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and garlic along with chicken or beef are ingredients that are added with spices such as smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. For heat, some add a scotch bonnet or a habanero. Pour over jasmine rice or serve with a side of fufu.
9. Cachupa – If you want to learn more about Cape Verdean food culture, start with cachupa. Another rich African stew, it is also the national dish of the country. It begins with hominy and beans and then adds leafy greens such as collards or kale along with cassava, plantain and sweet potato. Add chicken for meat lovers or leave it out for non-meat eaters and then slowly cook to perfection.
10. Suya – West African street food is a treat and that includes suya. These meat skewers or kabobs of spiced beef originated from the Hausa people in Nigeria and have now found their way onto restaurant menus. Still, nothing beats the experience of grabbing on the go while walking down the street.
There you have it, the 10 most popular African foods that continue to share the diverse food stories of the African continent. For recipes, look for food creators on both Instagram and TikTok, and if you leave it up to those who know best and dine out, Yelp and social media will be your friends for where to go.
