A Taste of African Cuisine

As an avid food lover, I often get caught up in this first world dilemma: Where should I go eat? Although the cities where I find myself vary, the answers more often than not are kind of always the same. Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean, Thai, or Japanese. I am well aware of how delicious and full of flavors these food varieties can be; but not to bash on any of those cuisines I realized that not enough people are in tune with African food and what African cuisine entails. I grew up on it and thinking back it truly is where my love for food originated.

I really wish I could invite everyone who reads this to my mother’s place, so you guys/girls could have a full on experience of African cuisine, but unfortunately you will just have to use your imagination to picture it and I will do my best to depict. Food is quite symbolic to the African culture. Meal sharing in all African cultures essentially is the most common factor to African dishes. Why? You may ask. That is because whether a family is having breakfast, lunch, or dinner, regardless of whether you are a family member, a guest, a neighbor, or a stranger you will always be being welcomed to join in.

African food is quite varied as it is based on the ingredients available in all the different regions of the continent. They are mostly unrefined aliments, easily grown on subsistence farms, and sold in local markets. It is varied, rich in dietary fiber, and often organic. African food actually presents itself as one of the most underrated healthy nourishment option when it comes to going out to eat.

I will address three different types of dishes from three different regions of the continent. North African food because it is oriental, and reflects the Arabic culture of Africa. East African food, Ethiopian food more specifically because it is unique. And Cameroonian food because it is my country, and it is my favorite.

North African Cuisine

Even though travelers trading in and out of the region over the years have influenced North African cuisine it can still be traced to over 2000 years ago to Ancient Egypt. The most typical and common dish in North Africa is “couscous”. Couscous is semolina cooked in vapor, and then served as a condiment just like rice.

The Tunisian “Tajine”, is consisted of a beef or chicken stew slow cooked with onions, paprika, coriander, and caraway seeds; in order to thicken the juice chickpeas are usually added to the broth. This tender ragout is fused with cooked vegetables, dry mint, and parsley. The whole dish is then baked in a deep clay dish and finally served with couscous.

Ethiopian Food

Ethiopian dishes usually have two main components: “wot” or sauce, served atop “injera”, a large sourdough pancake made out of “teff” flour. They are traditionally eaten with the hands and are usually shared with a few other people.

My favorite Ethiopian dish is called“tibs”. Tibs consists of fresh lamb cut in thin slices braised with onions, green peppers, and tomatoes inside a clay pot over charcoal. The oil inside which the lamb is cooked is seasoned with “berbere” which adds spice and flavor to the lamb. Bebrere is actually dried red chilies grounded into a powder similar to pepper but way hotter. Once the meat is cooked it is served a top the “injera” pancake and shared. In Ethiopia, it is tradition to take part in a coffee ceremony after a meal.  Ethiopian coffee is the most exquisite coffee I have ever had, and has been ranked as the best in the world by connoisseurs. Coffee beans are stir fried into pans, until they are crackling hot, wafting the yummy smell of coffee all over the place. The coffee beans are then grounded up into powder right before your eyes and boiled in water, ten minutes later, the tastiest espressos in the world are served for you to digest all the food that you have had earlier.

Cameroonian Food

Cameroonian food is my favorite of all, not only because I was brought up on it but also because it is composed of so many different flavors. Very unique recipes are found in my country like chicken served in peanut sauce, coconut chicken spiced with vanilla, pistachio cake, mango fish and so many others; it would take a full book to name them all. (I am definitely going to write a book on Cameroonian food)

However if one really wishes to experience the real flavors of my country I would recommend grilled food. There is a neighborhood in the capital city of Yaounde where grilled food is the specialty. They setup grills on the streets next to tables where they serve it. People come on Saturday nights sit outside grab a couple of beers and watch the cooks get to work. To be quite frank I have no idea how the chicken or fresh tilapias, and tunas are marinated my best guess would be a mixture of ginger, lemon, persil, mustard seeds, garlic, onions, and local spices but I know that there are a few ingredients which I cannot quite make out; all I know is it tastes amazing. Usually the meals are accompanied with rice, boiled or fried plantains which are sweet bananas, bigger than the regular ones, starchier, and sooo much sweeter, Bâton de Manioc, or grilled yams.

So next time someone asks about African food, please don’t tell them that we’re cannibals, but tell them how rich and tasty our food is. It is nutritious, refreshing, although it is a bit spicy it’s certainly delicious.

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