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Check Out These 11 Best African Recipes
Egusi Soup (Nigeria)
Egusi is a West African name for the seeds of plants like squash, melons, and gourds that, when dried and ground become a staple ingredient in many West African dishes. Nigerian Egusi Soup is a soup thickened with ground melon seeds and contains leafy and other vegetables. It is one of the most popular soups prepared by most tribes in Nigeria with considerable variation and often eaten with dishes like Pounded Yams.
Kelewele – Fried Plantains (Ghana)
Kelewele (pronounced Kay-lay-way-lay) is a popular Ghanaian dish made with fried plantains seasoned with spices. It is often served with rice and bean stew or alone as a vegetarian dessert or snack. In Ghana, you can find the street vendors ready to hand over this amazing West African treat.
Lentil Sambusas (Ethiopia)
This thin, flaky dough is stuffed with lentils and Ethiopian Spices. This hand-held stuffed pastry, akin to Samosas, is a savory, mouth-watering snack or appetizer.
Nigerian Pepper Soup (Nigeria)
Many times, people enjoy pepper soup for its sweetness and its zesty outburst of flavors, without having half the knowledge about its numerous medicinal benefits derived from the spices, but with the full knowledge of the magical curativeness immersed in every simmer of the pepper soup, it could make for one of the best African dishes ever and possibly the most sought after.
Key Wat (Ethiopia)
A hearty, bold, and spicy stew utilizing a Berbere spice blend that you can purchase at a retailer (or use our instructions to make your own). Key Wat is easily prepared in a slow-cooker or crock-pot. Serve with Injera and Rice.
Spicy Pilau Rice (Tanzania)
Like much of Africa, Tanzania is home to a complexly diversified quilt of culture and food. Pilau Rice is a popular spicy rice dish informed by the country’s rich Indian inspirations. Make Pilau Rice to accompany curried meats or with your favorite savory vegetable dishes.
Mafé (Senegal)
A traditional spicy Senegalese stew made with a tomato-peanut butter sauce. The stew can be made from beef, lamb, or chicken with variations common throughout West Africa. Serve with rice or couscous.
Jollof Rice (West Africa)
Jollof Rice is a one-pot rice dish popular in many West African countries. Despite several regional variations, as well as a culturally sensitive debate between Ghanaians and Nigerians over the dish’s origins), the popularity of Jollof Rice has spread to become the best known African dish outside the continent. It’s widely accepted as the forefather of the Louisianan dish Jambalaya. Serve with fish, chicken, beef, eggs, or turkey.
Atakilt Wat (Ethiopia)
A simple, easy-to-make, and inexpensive healthy vegan dish bursting with flavor. Made from cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, Atakilt Wat has a flavor profile all its own. Serve with other Ethiopian dishes, rice, and Injera Bread.
Curry Potatoes (Uganda)
Curry Potatoes are a popular and easy to make Ugandan side dish. Serve it hot with grilled chicken or a meat stew. The spiciness of this dish is a perfect contrast to a sweeter marinade.
Peri Peri Chicken (South Africa)
A spicy dish popular in South Africa as well as Portugal. Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) is named after the chili sauce containing it. Serve with a variety of side dishes including rice, spicy potatoes, and salad.
