lifestyle

Fakoye is a dish in sauce of Malian origin made from corète leaves that originates from northern Mali. This is a very typical Tuareg dish and is prepared with koret leaves (also known as molokhiyya, melokhiyya, or ewedu or jute mallow; the leaves of <em>Corchorus olitorius</em>) which are dried, crushed and then cooked. The rest

It’s the Senegalese version of this peanut-based stew, known as mafé or maafe that is most well known, however, it is this dish, Tigadèguèna from the Bambara people of Mali that may be the origin of the Senegales dish. Before the Colombian exchange (that brought peanuts to West Africa) it was made with native tiger

Meni-meniyong is a wonderful Malian sesame-honey sweet that’s the equivalent of the benne-seed wafers of Gambia and Nigeria. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 14 Ingredients:145g (1 cup) Sesame seeds250ml (1 cup) Honey4 tbsp unsalted Butter Method:Pre-heat your oven to 230ºC (450ºF). Butter a baking tray and set aside. Spread the sesame seeds on

This is a classic Gambian recipe for a classic smoked catfish red palm oil stew with chillies and vegetables. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 6 Ingredients:6 smoked catfish, washed well and cut into two pieces each1 lemonsea salt2 tomatoes12 okra1 aubergine (eggplant) cut into thick slices3 brown onion2 red onions6 garlic cloves1/2 small

Smoked fish are a key component of many West African recipes, but what if you don’t have the right fish, or don’t have a whole smoked fish at home? Well, this recipe allows to you cook an approximation of smoked fish in your own oven at home. So you get juicy cooked fish with a

This is a dish shared between the Gambia and Senegal (where its known as mbakhel bu tuyeh). Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 4-6 Ingredients:500g (1 lb) chicken meat, cubed (you can also use beef, goat or a mix)125g (1 cup) rice, soaked in plenty of water1 tbsp ground black pepper3 tbsp Dijon mustard6

Also known as sisay chew or chew gnarr, this is a classic Gambian dish of fried chicken with cabbage and carrots in a tomato-based sauce spiced with plenty of black pepper. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 6 6 portions of chicken2 carrots, cut into large pieces1/2 cabbage, cut into 3 pieces4 garlic cloves,

This is a classic rich pepper soup from The Gambia with oxtail as the main ingredient. Note that this is traditionally made with zebu, African beef, a descendant of Asian cows, Bos indicus that has a lighter meat than European cattle. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 6 Ingredients:500g (1 lb) oxtail (about 8

The Gambia Benachin is a popular dish in The Gambia that is made in one pot and has similarities to Senegalese thiéb bou dieune; except that it’s prepared with meat (usually chicken) rather than fish (though it can be made with fish, too), which gives it a resemblance to jollof rice. It is often called

Kwahu nsusua (Turkey berries) abomu is a traditional Ghanaian stew. Known in Ghana by a variety of names: ‘Kantosey’, ‘Abedru’, ‘Kwahu Nsusua, ‘Sebe bibii’ and others, the pea-sized turkey berry is used for a range of culinary and medicinal applications. Originally from Florida, turkey berry Solanum torvum is a member of the tomato/deadly nightshade family.

Wagashi is a Fulani fresh curd cheese that can be found in northern parts of Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Côte D’Ivoire (wherever there are Fulani herdsmen). Traditionally it’s made with the leaves of Calotropis procera (Apple of Sodom, Sodom apple, king’s crown, rubber bush, and rubber tree) as a souring agent.

Also known as zowey or adakwaa this is a spicy Ghanaian snack of peanut paste with spices. Before the arrival of peanuts in West Africa (peanuts originated in South America, east of the Andes, around Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil.) these were originally made with tiger nuts and I will try to source an original

Also known as Adunlei/Adunlee this is a classic Ghanaian snack made with sweetened cornmeal shaped into sticks. Prep time: 15 minutes/Cook time: 25 minutes/Makes: 40-50 Ingredients:140g (1 cup) Cornmeal (plus extra for kneading)50g (1/4 cup) Sugar (or to taste)1/4 tsp Salt (or to taste)375-500ml (1 1/2 – 2 cups) Wateroil for deep frying Method:Combine the

These savoury sweet cassava fritters/doughnuts are a feature of Ghanaian street food. When I say sweet cassava what I mean is that they have low cyanogenic glycoside content and can be baked or fried without the need for lengthy soaking. Typically they’re served with pieces of coconut. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 15 minutes/Makes: 45