Western African countries offer some of the most delicious dishes in the world today. Featuring fragrant spices like bay leaves, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom, it’s no wonder West African fare offers the best of hearty and decadent comfort foods.

West African cuisine has also steadily gained popularity in recent years due to its use of nutritious, plant-based ingredients like beans, grains and vegetables. Other ingredients that contribute to distinct West African flavors include red palm oil, peanuts, fish, shellfish and ginger.

Of course, the best way to experience West African cuisine is by cooking popular dishes from the region. Check out some of the West African dishes that you can easily make at home:

Thieboudienne

Thieboudienne, the national dish of Senegal, is made from rice, freshwater fish and tomato sauce. It is flavored with spiced vegetables, such as onions, carrots, cabbage and cassava. Thieboudienne is cooked in a pot to allow rice on the bottom to develop a crust. It can stand alone as a main dish or be served with a meat dish.

Here’s a simple recipe for Thieboudienne:

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 2.5 pounds snapper, cut into steaks
• 4 Scotch bonnet peppers
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 sweet potato, chopped
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cabbage head, chopped
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup parsley
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Preparation:

1. To a food processor, add parsley, 3 garlic cloves, 1 Scotch bonnet, 1 teaspoon black pepper and salt. Pulse into a rough paste.
2. Cut open each piece of fish and stuff it with the paste. Broil until golden brown. Set aside.
3. To a food processor, add 3 garlic cloves and 3 Scotch bonnets. Pulse into a rough paste.
4. Heat oil in a skillet. Saute onion until translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the garlic and Scotch bonnet paste. Cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Add remaining black pepper and 8 cups of water. Add sweet potatoes and cook until tender. Remove and set aside. Do the same for the carrots, bell peppers, eggplant and cabbage.
6. Add cooked fish steaks to the skillet. Cook for 2–5 minutes, then remove from the sauce.
7. Add rice to the sauce. The sauce should be covering the rice, so add more water if necessary. You can add more salt or black pepper at this stage.
8. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 15–2o minutes. Serve with the vegetables.

Yoruba egusi soup

Yoruba egusi soup is a Nigerian dish made from beans, spinach and melon seeds (egusi), which contain fat and protein. The soup usually contains leafy greens, fish or meat as well. The soup is most popular among the Ibo people of Nigeria. But variations of the soup can be found all over Nigeria and throughout Western Africa.

Here’s a recipe for egusi soup:

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 Scotch bonnet, deseeded and minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled deveined
• 3/4 pound beef, cut into cubes
• 1/2 pound spinach, chopped
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup dried melon seeds
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preparation:

1. To a blender, add melon seeds. Blend for 30–40 seconds or until powdered. Set aside.
2. Season beef cubes with salt. Heat peanut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Saute beef cubes for 3–5 minutes or until brown but not cooked through.
3. To a blender, add tomato, onion and Scotch bonnet. Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour this onto the beef cubes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 40–50 minutes or until tender.
4. Add tomato sauce, water and shrimp. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add spinach and melon seeds. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Classic Nigerian jollof rice

Jollof rice is the quintessential West African dish. Each of the 16 countries in the region has its own take on the classic casserole-like dish. And depending on the country serving it, it may be served with plantains, vegetables or lean proteins like fish and chicken.

This recipe is for a Nigerian-style jollof rice:

Ingredients for 4–5 servings:

• 6 medium plum tomatoes, chopped
• 4 large red bell peppers, deseeded
• 3 medium red onions (2 chopped, 1 thinly sliced)
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 Scotch bonnet
• 5–6 cups beef or vegetable stock, divided
• 4 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Ground black pepper
• Salt

Preparation:

1. To a blender, add tomatoes, bell peppers, chopped onions, Scotch bonnet and 2 cups of stock. Blend until smooth. You should have about 6 cups.
2. Pour the mixture into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10–12 minutes.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add the sliced onions. Season with a pinch of salt and cook for 2–3 minutes or until translucent.
4. Add bay leaves, curry powder, thyme and a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes then add tomato paste. Cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Add the reduced Scotch bonnet mixture. Cook, covered, for 10–12 minutes or until reduced by half.
6. Add the remaining stock. Bring to a boil for 1–2 minutes.
7. Add the rice and butter. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Kelewele

West Africans love starchy vegetables. Kelewele is proof of that. This dish from Ghana is made from plantain, a starchier member of the banana family. Plantains are less sweet than bananas, which makes them the ideal receptacle for spices like ginger and hot pepper. Kelewele is crunchy on the outside and chewy inside.

Here’s a simple recipe for kelewele:

Ingredients for 6–8 servings:

• 4–6 ripe plantains, cubed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Coconut oil

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, combine ginger, salt, pepper and water.
2. Toss the plantain cubes in the spice mixture.
3. Heat enough oil in a deep skillet to 350 F. Working in batches, fry plantains until golden brown on either side.
4. Drain the fried plantains on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

West African cuisine is characterized by bold flavors and the use of nutritious, plant-based ingredients. Try out something new in the kitchen every now and then with a West African dish that’s as healthy as it is flavorful.

Sources:

OrganicFacts.net

YummyMedley.com

AllRecipes.com

Food52.com

Food.com