Taste Africa With These Flavorful Dishes

Maybe a West African restaurant just opened up nearby, and you’re interested but hesitant to stop in. Maybe your new Ghanaian friend has been trying to get you to sample her traditional cuisine. Or maybe you’re just looking for some recipes to help you re-create Mom’s best dishes at home.

Whether you’re looking to expand your palate or revisit a family favorite, this collection of recipes from the continent of Africa is sure to make your mouth water. (Just a note: Some ingredients may seem unfamiliar to Western cooks, but you can find what you need at a well-stocked African store or online.)

A Snack Fala-ful of Flavor

Tamiya, or Sudanese falafel, is made out of ground chickpeas and flavored with savory herbs like dill and chili powder. This recipe from recipe website www.tasteofsouthsudan.com calls for ground chickpeas, onions, garlic, dill and chili powder, which you form into 2-inch patties and deep fry on medium heat. The result is a yummy appetizer or healthy snack.

Spice Up Your Life

Doro wat, the national dish of Ethiopia, isn’t for everyone – the spicy chicken stew is traditionally made with berbere, a hot spice blend that this recipe from cooking website www.daringgourmet.com uses to make a flavorful sauce. Combine the berbere with minced onion, garlic and ginger, add diced chicken to the sauce and then add chicken stock, white wine and honey. Boil eggs to pop into the stew and – to make the experience more authentic – eat it with injera, an Ethiopian flatbread.

It’s No Rice-A-Roni

Jollof rice is a staple of West African cuisine. This recipe for the Ghanaian style of making jollof rice from the website www.africanfoodmap.com calls for long grain rice, your choice of beef, chicken or lamb, and a sauce made of onions, garlic, chili peppers and tomatoes. Fry the meat until it’s browned, then add the meat and your choice of vegetable to the rice to finish.

Put a Pudding on Your List

End your delicious African meal with a South African treat courtesy of www.africanbites.com: malva pudding. Though it is said to be of Dutch origin, South Africans have made it their own using apricot jam. After putting together your typical cake or pudding mixture – eggs, flour, milk and the like – you bake and then cover it in a butter-drenched sauce. Then, satisfy your sweet tooth by serving hot with custard or ice cream.

Find more recipes in our Food for All department.