08 Feb The History Behind Africa’s Tasty Foods

Whether it is the Piri Piri chicken of Mozambique, egusi soup and jollof rice of Nigeria, Muamba de Galinha of Angola, or bunny chow of South Africa; Africa is home to some of the tastiest foods in the world.

African foods are far-reaching in acceptance. This is because many African communities hold traditions and culinary dispositions that led to their development. The movement of Africans as slaves to other parts of the world also contributed to their spread and variations to other continents.

The primary factor behind the creation of the tastiest African foods is their natural heritage. With the tropical forests and grassland distribution, the resources for certain foods are easily accessible. Among these resources are rice, cowpea, yams, coffee, melon, and okra.

As expected, these foods formed the main ingredients of most delicacies and the bulk of African staples. Nigerian jollof rice and egusi soup, for example, are made from rice and dry melon seeds which are common in African farms.

‘If the food doesn’t set fire to the tablecloth, the cook is being stingy with the pepper,’ says an African proverb. Diners appreciate the effort applied by the cook in the form of the mixture of spices, oil, salt, meat, fish, and heat, among others.

Spices litter the African landscape and constitute the ingredients of many cuisines. They include cinnamon, ginger, saffron, nutmeg, and cloves in the North; chilli and okra in the Centre; peppers in the West; and the colourful rainbow mixture of the South.

Ingredients differ across different countries with influences from culture, trade, and vegetation. Oftentimes, the people, for the love of their heritage, would modify their cuisines to reflect the original styles they inherited. Anywhere African food is served, diners often desire a touch of these features.

You don’t need a silver spoon to eat good food in Africa!