15 Mouthwatering African Dishes

By Ali O'Neill

• Thieboudienne, Senegal

  By Ali O'Neill

  Senegal's coastal location is reflected in its national dish: fish, rice, and vegetables simmered in tomato sauce.

• Ndole, Cameroon

  By Ali O'Neill

  This popular Cameroonian dish is a stew of nuts, ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to West Africa), and fish or ground beef.

• Seswaa, Botswana

  By Ali O'Neill

  This traditional meat dish consists of boiled beef, goat, or lamb, and is typically served with a side of pap or sorgum meal porridge.

• Fufu, Ghana

  By Ali O'Neill

  This West African staple is made of boiled cassava, yams, or plantains pounded into a dough. It's usually eaten one small ball at a time, dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

• Ugali, Tanzania

  By Ali O'Neill

  This staple is made from maize flour/cornmeal mixed with water until it's a doughy consistency. Traditionally served as a side dish to soups and stews.

• Jollof Rice, Nigeria

  By Ali O'Neill

  Also known as "benachin," this popular West African dish usually consists of rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onions, salt, and red peppers (as well as some kind of meat or fish).

• Koshari, Egypt

  By Ali O'Neill

  Koshari is made of rice, lentils, and macaroni mixed together and topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce.

• Couscous, Morocco

  By Ali O'Neill

  This Moroccan staple is usually cooked in a broth with vegetables and meat (lamb, mutton, or chicken being the most popular).

• Peri Peri Chicken, Mozambique

  By Ali O'Neill

  The "Peri Peri" (also spelt "piri piri") of this dish refers to the hot pepper sauce the chicken is marinated in.

• Bobotie, South Africa

  By Ali O'Neill

  South Africa's national dish consists of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping, and was introduced to the country by Dutch colonists in the 1600s.

• Kapenta, Zimbabwe

  By Ali O'Neill

  Kapenta is a type of sardine that's usually fried with onions and tomatoes and served with sadza, a maize dish resembling thickened porridge.

• Chambo with Nsima, Malawi

  By Ali O'Neill

  A popular Malawi meal is chambo fish (sourced from Lake Malawi), served with nsima, a starchy side dish.

• Braaivleis, Namibia

  By Ali O'Neill

  Outdoor cooking is a way of life in Namibia, and braaivleis (barbecues) are popular. Ostrich, springbok, and gemsbok are some favorite meats for grilling.

• Moamba de Galinha, Angola

  By Ali O'Neill

  Influenced by Angola's colonial Portuguese history, this dish consists of chicken, okra, tomatoes, chillies, and palm oil.

• Nyama Choma, Kenya

  By Ali O'Neill

  Grilled goat or sheep forms the basis of this popular meal, which is usually served with a side of ugali.