Eat Your Way Through Africa With Our Food Recs

1. Eat Your Way Through Africa With These Food Recs It’s the second largest continent in the world. A land of contrasts.Snow-covered tropical mountains and sizzling hot deserts. Rainforests and vast grasslands. Hundreds of different tribes, languages, cultures and customs. And, then, there’s the food. Spicy tagines, hearty stews, flavourful curries, and moreish soups paired with sides of starchy fufu or sour injera breads, authentic African foodsreflect the use of fresh local produce and cookery methods that are unique to the land. Africa eats differently. And if you want to know just how vibrant and different the local foods are, you have got to eat your way through the continent. From the Mediterranean North to the temperate South, the volcanic East to the sandy West, some authentic African foods represent the people like nothing else. They bring families and neighbours together. They are the dishes locals set before honoured guests. They are sold in the open-air markets to feed people looking for a quick snack. Here’s a list of food recs you should keep by your side while gastro-trotting around Africa. If you can’t, head over to your local African grocery storeto buy the ingredients and replicate the taste at home. Either way, tick this experience off your bucket list.

2. North Africa: The Food of The Maghreb North African food has Arabic, French and European influences. Some of the foods use the spice paste harissa and other common spices like cumin, coriander, Ras el hanout, cinnamon and saffron play a strong role in giving the food its kick. Top dishes to try:

3. ● Morrocan tagines served with flatbreads or couscous ● Sambusaks stuffed pastries ● Egyptian Koshari ● Hawawshi meat-stuffed pita bread ● Mhalbi pudding ● Shashuka ● B’stilla ● Versions of Tahini ● Couscous Royale ● Ful medames East Africa: The Food From the Horn of Africa Eastern African food is the least spicy cuisine out of all of the African foods. Fresh ingredients and plenty of Arabic and Indian influences make this cuisine a well-loved one. The standout spice is Ethiopian berbere, a vibrant blend crafted from cardamom (Southern India), fenugreek

4. (Mediterranean), cumin (Western Asia), pepper (India), nutmeg and cloves (Indonesia), dried chilis (the Americas), paprika (Central Mexico), allspice (Central America), and garlic (Western China). Top dishes to try: ● Fufu ● Nyama Choma (smoky grilled meats) ● Mandazi fried dough ball dessert ● Matooke ● Irio ● Rolex eggs ● Zanzibar fish curry ● Cassava Chips ● Stoney Tangawezi West Africa: The Food from the Gold Coast Starch, native greens, dried seafood, and meats and fresh veggies add to the beauty of West African foods. Trade ships brought in chili, maize, and red peppers to Africa from the Americas and added variety to the diet. While spices are used sparingly, chilli peppers are beloved and are added generously to the dishes. Top dishes to try: ● Jollof rice ● Chicken Yassa ● Egusi Soup ● Fried Plantains ● Thieboudienne ● Chin Chin ● Cachupa ● Garri ● Moin Moin

5. South Africa: Authetic African Foods from the Cape Dutch, English, Malay. Indian and native influences colour the food from the Cape of Good Hope. Fresh ingredients and spices from all over the world are put to good use to flavour the foods of Southern Africa. Meat dishes feature prominently, but the staple is the maize porridge called pap which goes well with stews and curries. Top dishes to try: ● Bobotie ● Bunny chow ● Chakalaka ● Ugali ● Malva pudding ● Ostrich ● Biltong

6. Wrapping Up Whether you’re craving the rich spices of North Africa, the comforting stews of West Africa, or the smoky grilled flavours of Southern Africa, there’s a whole continent of taste waiting to be explored. And the best part? You don’t need a passport—just a trip to your local African grocery store. Packed with everything from traditional spice blends to rare ingredients, these shops make it easy to bring home the flavours of the motherland. So stock up, get cooking, and enjoy the vibrant experience of authentic African foods right in your own kitchen.