If you want to expand your taste buds, check around and see if there is a West African restaurant near where you live. Western African food is flavorful and varied and is a cuisine that should be celebrated and enjoyed by many people. Here are a few dishes you may want to try.
Dish #1: Jollof Rice
One of the staples of West African cuisine is jollof rice. Basically, jollof rice is a tomato-based dish that also includes hot peppers and a little ground fish powder. The recipe for jollof varies from one region of West Africa to another, but almost every area has its own version of this recipe, so the taste of this dish could vary from one restaurant to the next that you try it at.
Dish #2: Peanut Soup
Peanut soup is referred to as mafe in many West African countries. Just like the jollof rice, each country has their own little twist that makes the peanut soup completely their own creation. Peanut soup gets its name from the peanut paste that is at the base of the soup. In addition to peanuts, this soup may also include onions, okra, or tomatoes. Peanut soup almost always has meat in it, with goat, chicken, and beef being three popular meets that are used in this soup.
Peanut soup is often served over white rice instead of eaten by itself.
Dish #3: Soya
As a main dish, soya is a popular meat dish. Soya is West African street food that goes by other names such as tsitsinga, chichinga, and souya. It is grilled meat that is coated with a spicy flavoring before it is grilled. Once it is cooked, it is served on a long stick, kind of like how a kabob is served. The long stick is to make the meal easy to eat, as soya is popular street food, made to eat on the go. It is a barbecue-style food that is popular not just as street food, but as barbecue food when friends and family gather together.
Dish #4: Kele Wele
Kele wele is a dish that is more specifically from the West African country of Ghana. It is a very simple, but delicious dish. It consists of plantains, which are then covered up in a specific spice mix and fried before being enjoyed. Roasted groundnuts are often served alongside this dish. This dish's recipe may sound simple, but it offers complex and enjoyable flavors.
West African cuisine has numerous dishes that you can enjoy if you just give the cuisine a chance. Some of the more popular dishes include jollof rice, peanut soup, and soya. These are dishes with many regional variations that are always satisfying to try. To learn more about menu options, visit a local restaurant or check out websites like fusionvibes.com.
