We often hear about Italian cuisine or Mexican dishes, but what we don’t always hear about is African food. And, we’re missing out!
There are some delectable African dishes out there, and many of them are fairly easy to cook. If you’re interested in learning what are the best African foods, good for you.
It’s time to roll up your sleeves, tie on your aprons, and get ready to learn all about the most popular African dishes. Here are seven amazing African foods you simply have to try.
1. Garri
Garri is a traditional African food that’s made out of cassava flour. To get started making Garri, you’ll typically mix the cassava flour with palm oil and then place it in a press to remove excess fluids.
Afterward, the Garri can be fried in more palm oil. What results is a tasty, doughy bread that can be used to create other African staples such as soaked Garri or Nigerian Eba.
Garri tends to taste a bit sour. Think of sourdough bread and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect when tasting this dish for the first time.
2. Egusi Soup
Another delectable African meal to add to your menu is Egusi soup. This tasty soup is made using a special kind of pumpkin seeds. These pumpkin seeds are then ground to form egusi.
The egusi is mixed with crayfish, meat, hot peppers, leafy greens, and red palm oil. It’s cooked in a big pot and served hot.
Because this soup is packed full of different types of proteins and plenty of spices, it has an aromatic and nutty flavor. Egusi soup makes for the perfect winter dish to warm you up on a cold day!
3. Ogbono Soup
Egusi soup isn’t the only soup that you’ll find on an African menu. Another delicious staple is Ogbono soup. This soup is a little bit different from Egusi soup and has a very different taste.
Ogbono soup is also made from ground seeds, but the seeds used in this soup are dried and ground mango seeds. From there, it’s mixed with a mixture of fish, meats, hot peppers, and vegetables.
One interesting fact about this soup is that it has quite a slimy texture. However, the flavor has the sweet hint of mango. If left too long, the soup can develop a soapy taste so it’s best to eat it fresh.
4. Suya
There’s nothing quite as mouthwatering as a freshly cooked plate of African Suya. This delectable dish is made up of skewered meats cooked in herbs and spices.
Traditionally, Suya is made from a special blend of paprika, ginger, garlic, onion powder, various types of peppers, and groundnut. You can mix up your own Suya blend at home or you can purchase it from an African food store.
When cooked correctly, your Suya should have a nutty and spicy flavor to it. The richness of the meats blends perfectly with the spice blend to create a tasty treat that’s perfectly moist.
5. Ewa Agoyin
Ewa Agoyin is a staple in most African diets. This tasty dish is enjoyed all over the continent and is often referred to as Ewa G. It’s also a very popular street food that you can purchase during a day out on the town!
Ewa Agoyin is made by boiling and mashing beans and then topping them with a fragrant sauce. The sauce is packed with crayfish, onion, hot peppers, ginger, salt, and bouillon.
What results is a spicy meal that is sure to warm you up on a cold day. You can serve the dish hot and enjoy it as a meal or treat it like a snack. Either way, you’re bound to love this scrumptious African treat.
6. Moi Moi
Moi Moi is an African pudding made of beans. This is a savory dish that pairs perfectly with Garri or with plantain dishes.
Like most of the other African dishes we’ve discussed so far, Moi Moi involves crayfish. It also includes eggs, onion, bell peppers, and habanero peppers. It’s usually a fairly salty dish but is a great addition to any well-rounded African meal.
Because Moi Moi is such a popular dish, it’s typically served at parties. However, it can also be eaten as a summer snack that’s washed down with a cold beverage.
7. Akara
If you love fritters and deep-fried delicacies, you’ll absolutely adore African Akara. Akara is a bean fritter that’s deep-fried to crispy perfection.
Unlike many African dishes, Akara is vegetarian. That makes it a great choice for anyone on a plant-based diet who wants to try their hand at whipping up exotic African treats.
To make Akara, you’ll mix beans, habanero pepper, onion, bouillon, water, vegetable oil, and bell peppers. The ingredients are blended together to form a sticky dough.
Then, the dough is dropped into palm oil and fried until it’s crispy and golden. You can either enjoy it as a sinfully good snack or you can serve it as a side dish with another one of these African recipes.
Whip Up Some Tasty African Food
Now that you know about some of the best African food out there, it’s time to tie on your apron and get ready to whip up these tasty treats. With the right preparation, cooking a delicious African meal is pretty easy.
If you’re needing African ingredients to cook these recipes, don’t fret! Jeb Foods sells African ingredients and food products that you’ll need to make a delicious meal. Shop now to get the ingredients you need, and let’s get cooking!
