Many people are surprised to learn that there are many African dishes that are different from what they expect when they think of African cuisine. Traditionally, African cuisine used to be centered on rice, legumes and fish, and was marked by the absence of meat and dairy products. As this trend changed over time, the varieties of African food became more varied, with many of them being low in fat and high in protein. Today, African cuisine continues to evolve, but there are many classic, African dishes that have made their way to the mainstream.
Some of the most popular African foods include sorpotel, which is sweet cassava dish with a sweet, milky taste. Sorpotel is made by boiling the cassava leaves in water and then picking and peeling the leaves. The resulting beverage is then seasoned with salt and served with a sweet, thick yogurt-like liquid called sorpotel, that has a slightly sour taste. Sorpotel is one of the most popular African desserts because of its easy preparation and delicious flavor. In addition to being a popular dessert, sorpotel can also be enjoyed as a snack, a refreshing beverage, or as part of a hearty meal.
Another delicious African dish is the kheer, which translates literally to “lion meat”. The term is used to describe meat that is cooked on a spit, and is very common in African cuisine. The most common where dishes are brahmin cuisines, which are served alongside traditional beans and grain breads. A lighter version of cheer is also common and is similar to brain cuisine, but is served with a cucumber salad. The common assumption about khteer is that it is a substitute for beef. However, it can also be grilled, fried, or even boiled.
African dishes also include fruit in their foods, which makes them even more diverse than what we think. Appams, which are puff pastry filled with either meat or fruit filling, are very popular. The most common filling is meat, although you will also find custards and fruit salads. The typical dessert is an ice cream sandwich, which is spiced with saffron and flavored milk. The meat is cooked in a traditional African pot over a fire, while the custard is made from egg whites and flavored with ginger and nuts.
Many of these dishes include onions, garlic, and spices, which give them their distinctive taste. Some of these dishes are quite spicy, and others are milder. This diversity allows for an almost unlimited range of foods to be made and eaten, which allows for an interesting array of food choices for anyone who likes to try new African cuisine.
While there are hundreds of African foods, only a few can be classified as authentic African dishes. A few of these dishes are probably close to what you have come to know African food as: beans and rice, sorpotel, injansi, saumkada, injony, gheg, and injongo. While these are the most common African dishes, it is impossible to say with certainty that they are all truly African dishes. For instance, injongo is probably closest to authentic African food, but he is probably closer to South Indian food, and idontabetema is probably closer to Indian food than any other type of African food.
If you are interested in trying some of these African dishes, you should start with a web search using the name of the city that you live in. For example, if you live in New York, you should search for “Nairobi dishes”, which will give you a listing of various restaurants that serve this city’s African food. The dishes you will find on these sites will vary depending on the area in which you live, but you should at least be able to locate a few different places within a good distance. After you find a few places, compare the dishes and see which ones you like best, based on your preferences.
African dishes can truly be an open-ended dining experience. While it is certainly true that they are often times very spicy, there is a great deal of variety, and you should be able to find a dish that fits with your tastes and budget. Even though these dishes may take time and effort to prepare, they are well worth the effort because of the rich history behind them.