Eat Fresh, Healthy Home Cooked Food Daily!
Africa's diverse cuisines combine locally available fruits, cereal grains, and vegetables, as well as milk and meat products. Milk, curd, and dairy products are prevalent in several regions of the continent's traditional diet. The various eating and drinking customs, foods, and preparation techniques reflect the continent's diverse demographic mix.
Are you planning to make some African dishes this family weekend?
Chakalaka is a vegetable relish from South Africa that pairs well with bread, stews, meat, and other foods. It is a mainstay of South African cuisine and can be found almost anywhere in the country, particularly at braais (cookouts/barbecues).
What makes this dish so appealing is that it is quite flexible, since you can add additional vegetables and/or spices to suit your taste buds or palate.
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serving: 6 person
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 3 tablespoons of oil
● 1 finely chopped onion
● 2 seeded and chopped green birds-eye chiles
● 50 grams (2 ounces) of coarsely grated ginger
● 2 garlic cloves, crushed
● 2 tablespoons curry powder (mild)
● 1 finely sliced green bell pepper
● 1 finely sliced red bell pepper
● 1 finely sliced yellow bell pepper
● Scrubbed, topped, tailed, and grated 5 big carrots
● 400 grams of chopped canned tomatoes
● 2 tsp. tomato paste
● 400 grams of baked beans in a can
● 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, only the leaves
● freshly ground black pepper and salt
Instructions
Step 1: In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions until they are tender and transparent. Combine half of the chillies, garlic, and ginger into the pan (reserve the other half to add right at the end).
Step 2: Stir in the curry powder until everything is well combined. Then add bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the carrots until they are thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients and coated in curry powder. Now stir in the tomatoes and the tomato paste and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is well mixed and slightly thickened.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and mix in the baked beans, thyme, and remaining ginger; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with your barbecue, breakfast or cold according to your preference. Enjoy your authentic African food!
Fufu is similar to mashed potatoes in conventional European and American cuisine in Western and Central African cooking. This authentic African food is often eaten with a variety of soups, stews, and sauces and looks like a soft, slightly elastic white purée with a neutral flavour.
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serving: 2-3 person
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 300-gram unripened plantain.
● 460-gram cassava
● 1 1/2 cup to 2 cups water for blending
● 50 mL ( 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) water for steaming
Instructions
Note:- The traditional recipe calls for a large Ghanaian wooden mortar, although a food processor or a potato masher can be used instead to make our work easier or you may create the desired texture using your hands.
Step 1: First Peel and cut the plantain and cassava into cubes and de-stringed the cassava.
Step 2: Combine the cassava and plantain in a blender. For now, use 350 mL if you want your fufu to be firmer, or 450 ml if you want it to be softer. Blend all of the components until creamy paste forms.
Step 3: In a saucepan, cook the pasta over medium heat. To eliminate any lumps, stir regularly with a wooden spatula for 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Add the last 50 ml of water to the mixture and reduce the heat to the lowest level, in the same saucepan, steam the fufu batter for 8 to 10 minutes, and cover it well.
Step 5: Continue to steam while increasing the heat to medium. The fufu may appear overly soft at first, but it will firm up as it cools.
Step 6: To prevent a film from forming on fufu, place the fufu in a bowl with one teaspoon of water on top. Allow for thorough cooling.
Form fufu into a ball and serve with your favourite soup or stew. Enjoy this authentic African food with your family!
African Chicken Stew is unlike any other stew. With a thick, rich tomato-based sauce, it's simple, fragrant, and tasty. This is an amazing weeknight meal. It'll be your new favourite chicken dish if you serve it with warm rice and plantains. In African Chicken Stew, the tomatoes are cooked until the flavour is moderate. It's quite tasty and goes great with hot, fluffy rice.
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serving: 7 person
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 3 and½ pound chicken cut into pieces
● Salt and pepper to taste
● 1 to 2 teaspoons of Creole Seasoning
● ¼-½ cup oil (canola, olive or vegetable oil)
● 5-6 Roma tomatoes or 2 cups tomato sauce
● 1 medium onion, chopped
● 1 tablespoon garlic minced (approximately 3-4 cloves)
● 1 and ½ teaspoon dried thyme
● Smoked paprika 1 tablespoon
● ¼ teaspoon of curry powder
● 1 bay leaf
● 1 tablespoon Maggi or bouillon granules (chicken-flavoured
● 2 cups water
● 2 green onion cut whites and green sections
● 3 tablespoon parsley
● 1-2 cups (128g-256g) sliced carrots
Instructions
Step 1: Add salt, pepper, and Creole to the chicken, season it well and place aside.
Step 2: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until it is hot, then add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the chicken is brown.
Step 3: If using fresh tomatoes, blend them with the onions, garlic, and onions. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil in the chicken pot and cook until the chicken is cooked (approximately 20- 30 minutes, depending on the chicken). Stir often to avoid burns.
Step 4: If using tomato sauce, add the onion and simmer until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Combine the tomato sauce, curry powder, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and chicken bouillon powder in a large mixing bowl. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes on low heat. Fill the pan halfway with water (2 cups).
Step 5: Now add green onions, carrots and parsley. Cook for an additional 5 minutes with veggies. Water or stock can be used to thin the soup as per your liking.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Before serving, remove the bay leaf.
Serve with steaming rice. Enjoy this amazing authentic African food!
Cachupa is without a doubt Africa's Cape Verde's most popular and authentic African food. Hominyans, seasoned meats, and veggies make up this heart touching stew. Every family has their catchup recipe, and even within families, no two cachupa pots will be the same.
Cooking time: 4 hours
Serving: 8 person
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 1 and ½ pound cut-up corned beef brisket
● 1 pound salt pork cut into big bits
● 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic, divided
● 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or white black pepper bay leaf
● 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
● 1 teaspoon of salt
● ½ teaspoon black pepper per
● 2 tablespoons of olive oil
● 1 medium-sized sliced onion
● 1-2 bouillon cubes (extra large)
● 2 teaspoons of tomato paste
● 18 cups of water
● 1 and a half cups of yellow hominy (or samp)
● ½ cup of rock beans/ feijao Pedra(soak them overnight)
● ½ cups cup of dried cranberry beans (soak them overnight)
● 2/3 cup lima white beans big
● 1 mandioca (yuca) medium-sized
● 4 cups washed and sliced collard greens or kale
● 1 pound linguiça (chouriço), cut into rounds
Instructions
Step 1: The night before, season the corned beef and salt pork with vinegar, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic. Allow the meat to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 2: In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onions and remaining tablespoon of garlic. Place the bay leaf in the pot from the seasoned meat. Cook until the onions are aromatic.
Step 3: Allow the marinated meats to brown in the pan (in a single layer if desired) for about 10 minutes and cook both sides of the meat for 5 minutes. Set the meat aside after removing it from the pan.
Step 4: In the stockpot whole onions are waited and turned aromatic. Add together 1 bouillon cube and the tomato paste until the bay leaf has dissolved and the tomato paste is smooth. Now add the semi-cooked meat to the pot and pour in the water. The water level in the pot should reach the handles then put a lid on the pot.
Step 5: Bring the water to a boil in the pot, then rinse and add the hominy. Allow it to come back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour with the lid on the pot. Stir the hominy every 30 minutes and make sure there is enough water. Use warm water instead of cold.
Step 6: Add the feijao Pedra and cranberry beans to the saucepan once the first hour is up, mix, and cover it again with the lid. Every 30 minutes, stir and check the water level. As the stew cooks, it will thicken.
Step 7: After the second hour has gone, remove the meat from the pan and shred it with a fork. This step is optional, but it helps to break some of the meat chunks and free up space in the pan for the rest of the ingredients. You'll probably notice that the salt pork fat separates from the meat. Try to throw away the fat.
Step 8: Return the meat to the pot and stir it in before adding the fava beans, yuca, and greens. If the greens are too bulky, add half of the first, let them cook for 10 minutes, and then add the remainder. Cook for about 45 minutes.
Step 9: The last ingredient to go into the pot is the chourico (linguica). Let it cook for 20 minutes after adding the chourico. Stir the catchup well and taste it at this point. If desired, add another bouillon cube, and Cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Step 10: Turn off the heat and leave the catchup to rest for 20-30 minutes (covered).
Serve with a few drops of hot sauce or chilli paste in each bowl and enjoy your authentic African food!
The term braai comes from South Africa and refers to both grilling and social gatherings. A Braai (pronounced Bry) is related to a barbeque in the United States and is derived from the African word Braaivleis (Roasted Meat). There's no reason this delicious authentic dry rub for braai seasoning can't be used on steaks other than T-bones. However, since Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as part of an effort to bring all South Africans together around the braai, pointed out that the shape of that steak resembles the shape of Africa itself, the T-bone has held a special place there.
Cooking time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 4 tablespoons of coarse salt
● 2 tablespoons of sugar (white or brown)
● 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds
● 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
● 2 tablespoons of paprika or 2 teaspoons of paprika plus 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
● 1 tablespoon garlic powder (or flakes)
● 1 tablespoon powdered onion
● 1 tablespoon thyme, dry
● 4 T-bone steaks 1 and 1/2 inch thick.
Instructions
Step 1: Combine salt, sugar, coriander seeds, ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika or cayenne pepper and paprika powder, and thyme to make the braai spice. Grind all of the seasonings and herbs until a fine powder is in a grinder or mortar and pestle.
Step 2: Refrigerate the steaks for 1 to 4 hours after applying the braai seasoning to the meat and coating it well. Before grilling, bring it to room temperature.
Step 3: Preheat the grill to high heat. Place steaks on the grill and cook until crispy on the outside and medium-rare on the interior, 120 to 125 degrees. Allow 10 minutes to rest before cutting across the grain for dishing.
Step 4: Heat the oil in a skillet on the stovetop. When the oil in the skillet begins to smoke, add the steak. Reduce to low heat and cook steak for 4 minutes per side, or until browned. Place the skillet in the oven (oven should be preheated to 450 degrees F for 15 minutes). Roast the steak in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the steak registers 120 degrees F for medium-rare. Allow 10 minutes for the steak to rest on a cutting board.
Serve with mashed potatoes or any side dish of your preference. Enjoy your authentic African food!
Jollof Rice is Spiced and cooked in a wonderful tomato broth, it's everything from "everyday" to"celebration."Long-grain rice is used in the authentic version, which is seasoned with Nigerian-style curry powder and dried thyme. When served with dodo (fried, ripe plantains) and coleslaw, it's perfect. Jollof rice is a popular West African meal served throughout the region.
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serving: 12 people
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 6 cups long-grain rice
● 3/4 cup olive oil
● 4 cups chicken stock
● 5 tablespoons tomato paste
● 1 tablespoon of curry powder
● 1 tablespoon thyme
● 4 cloves Garlic
● 2 bay leaves
● 1 tablespoon grated ginger
● 1 teaspoon salt, or salt according to your taste
● 1 medium onion, sliced
● 1 tomato, sliced (Large size)
● 1 tablespoon spice powder or cubes of seasoning
● 1 onion, sliced
● Black pepper or white pepper taste
For the sauce
● 3 red peppers
● 3 plum tomatoes
● 1 onion, diced
● 2 Scotch bonnets
Blend all the ingredients in a smooth paste.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the frying oil in a big pan. When the oil is hot, add the diced onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are tender.
Step 2: Now add the Tomato Paste. Saute it with onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and bay leaves and let it simmer for another 2 minutes with tomato paste.
Step 3: Add the blended pepper paste to cook until the water is completely evaporated and the oil oozes out from the mixture.
Step 4: Thyme, curry powder, salt to taste, and seasoning cubes are added to the seasoning ingredients. Continue to cook for another 2 to 5 minutes.
Step 5: Now add the rice and stir it until the rice is well covered with sauce. Then add the Chicken stock in it and bring it to a boil while covered with a tight-fitting lid.
Step 6: Reduce the heat to medium-low and steam until the rice is done, about 3 to 5 minutes after setting it on the stove. Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the cut tomato and onions. Then cover it right away so that the residual heat in the rice may steam and soften the later added vegetables a little.
Serve the warm rice with plantains, chicken or your desired vegetables. Enjoy your authentic African food!
7)Melktert ( South African milk tart)
Melktert is a traditional South African milk tart with a handmade crust and a silky smooth filling baked to perfection and topped with ground cinnamon. In the 17th century, settlers in the Dutch Cape Colony (Cape of Good Hope, South Africa) invented the milk tart as we know it today. This tart was probably inspired by the Dutch mattentaart, which is a cheesecake-like delicacy.
Cooking time: 1 hour, 8 minutes
Serving: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Ingredients
For the sweet crust of
the tart
● ½ cup sugar
● 6 ounces softened butter
● 1 egg
● ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
● 2 cups flour
● A pinch of salt
For filling
● 4 cups of milk
● 1 tablespoon of butter
● ½ cup of sugar
● 2 eggs
● cornstarch, 3 tablespoons
● 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
● pinch salt
● 3 tablespoons of flour
● 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
Instructions
Note:- African Melktert can be baked in the oven or cooked on the stovetop or can be refrigerated as well as be consumed later, we've included a recipe for chilled melktert to make things easier.
For crust
Step 1: Combine the butter-sugar, egg and almond essence in a mixing bowl. Then gradually add the flour and salt to the same bowl. Knead until you have a soft dough. Allow 10 minutes for chilling.
Layer the dough in a greased pie dish after rolling it out on a lightly floured board. Fill the void with pie weights and cover with a sheet of parchment paper. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, and discard the parchment paper and pie weights from the crust. Let the crust cool on the wire rack, entirely.
For filling
Step 2: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and vanilla in a heatproof bowl and place aside. Heat the butter and milk in a saucepan over a medium heat. Do not allow it to come to a boil.
Pour roughly a fourth of the heated butter and milk into the egg mixture and whisk it in evenly.Return the mixture, along with the remaining milk, to the stovetop saucepan.
Return to the heat and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens. Do not let it boil.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and let it cool completely. Refrigerate the Melktert until serving because the longer you chill the tart, the more set, and flavorful it will become.
Before serving, dust with cinnamon powder. Enjoy you authentic African food.
Malva pudding is a rich and delicious Cape Dutch confection that is as much a part of Afrikaans culture as koeksisters or melktert. It's made with apricot jam and a touch of brown vinegar, which gives this delectable South African treat a caramelised texture to die for. While it's still hot, it's coated with a cream sauce.
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serving: 8 person
Course: Dessert
Ingredients
For Pudding
● ¾ cup whole milk
● ½ cup brown sugar
● 2 eggs, big
● 3 tablespoons strained apricot jam
● 2 tablespoons melted butter
● 1 teaspoon vinegar (apple cider)
● 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
● 2 teaspoons of baking powder
● 1 teaspoon baking soda
● salt to taste
For Sauce
● ½ cup of heavy cream
● ½ cup of whole milk
● ½ cup of sugar
● ½ cup butter
● ¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
Step 2: Whisk together the milk, brown sugar, eggs, apricot jam, melted butter, and vinegar in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly blended.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then blend the dry and wet ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Step 4: Pour the batter in the baking dish and bake the pudding for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Step 5: Make the sauce just before the pudding is done. Add the butter, milk, cream and sugar and in a heated saucepan over medium heat gradually, cook the sauce until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved and the mixture gives a smooth saucy texture.
Step 6: When the pudding is done, use a skewer to poke holes all over the hot pudding, then pour the warm sauce over it. Let the pudding rest for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the sauce and get the gooey texture we want.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while the pudding is warm. Enjoy your authentic African food!
9) Bobotie (a South African casserole)
Bobotie (pronounced ba-bo-tea) is a South African authentic food cooked with perfectly seasoned ground beef and a creamy, luscious topping. It's savoury, spicy, fragrant, and zingy all at once.A hearty meal with African influence!
Cooking time: 75 minutes
Serving: 4 to 6 person
Course: Main course
Ingredients
● 2 tablespoons of butter
● 2 finely sliced medium onions
● 3 garlic cloves
● 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
● curry powder (1 teaspoon)
● 3 cloves
● 600 grams of beef mince
● 1 tablespoon of vinegar
● 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
● 1 cube of beef stock
● 2 white bread slices, crusts removed and soaked in milk
● 1 egg, big
● 1/2 cup milk
● 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
● to taste salt
● to taste freshly ground black pepper
● Bay leaves, a handful
Instruction
Step 1: Preheat the oven from 340 degrees F to 140 degrees C
Step 2: In a large pan, fry the onions, garlic, and ginger in the butter until soft and golden brown.
Step 3: Add the spices, minced meat, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock cube when the onions are golden brown and stir the mixture well.
Step 4: Add the pre-soaked bread and stir it into the mixture once the minced beef is browned.
Step 5: Transfer the mixture to a baking dish once the mixture is well incorporated and bake for 40 minutes, covered in the oven.
Step 6: While the beef mixture is baking in the oven Whisk together the egg, milk, and turmeric to form the savoury custard mix. Add little salt and pepper for seasoning as per your taste.
Step 7: Remove the mince mixture from the oven, pour the egg mixture over it, and garnish with the bay leaves. Then again Return the mixture to the oven for 15 minutes.
Step 8: The bay leaves should be fragrant, and the custard should have a golden brown surface.When removed again from the oven.
Serve hot with rice and enjoy your authentic African food!
So, these were a collection of authentic African food recipes for you to read and try at home, efficiently and easily while keeping the dish's Authenticity and taste.
