Central Africa
Gabon
Rainforest and sea: nyembwe palm-nut sauce with smoked fish and cassava.
Staples
- Bâton de manioc (Chikwangue)
- Plantain bananas (Banane plantain)
- Cassava greens (Feuilles de manioc/Saka-saka)
- Taro and Cocoyam (Macabo)
- Yam tubers (Igname)
Seasonings
- Odika (Wild mango kernel paste / Native chocolate)
- Nyembwe (Concentrated red palm fruit pulp)
- Pâte d'arachide (Roasted peanut paste)
- Piment oiseau (African bird's eye chili)
- Smoked forest shrimp powder (Poudre de crevette)
Techniques
- Steam-baking inside Marantaceae leaves (Maboké)
- Slow-simmering meats in rich palm butter sauce
- Smoking river fish over aromatic tropical hardwoods
- Pounding boiled tubers into smooth elastic foutou
At the table
Women traditionally manage the hearth, assembling everyday plates of smoked fish or braised meat richly coated in sauces like nyembwe alongside fermented cassava batons. While coastal Ogooué-Maritime prioritizes ocean catches stewed in clear broths, deep-forest regions like Woleu-Ntem center meals around wild game braised with crushed, toasted odika seeds.
24 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Beignets Soufflés (Gabonese Yeast Drop Fritters)
Golden, spherical yeast fritters with an airy, pillowy interior and crisp shell, delicately scented with freshly grated nutmeg.
Bouillie de Manioc (Fermented Cassava Flour Morning Porridge)
A velvety, tangy fermented cassava porridge sweetened with cane sugar and warmed with crushed African nutmeg and fresh lime zest.
Soup
Bouillon de Congre Fumé (Smoked Conger Eel Broth)
A deeply smoky, aromatic Gabonese river soup balancing hardwood-smoked eel, sour sorrel leaves, and fiery Scotch bonnet chillies.
Bouillon de Mâchoiron (Spiced Catfish Pepper Soup)
A fiery, aromatic coastal Gabonese broth swimming with tender river catfish, fragrant country onions, and crushed indigenous spices.
Main
Crabes Farcis (Spiced Stuffed Land Crabs)
Sweet shredded land crab folded with aromatics, cassava flour, and lime, baked golden brown inside polished natural carapaces.
Kumu aux Arachides (Stewed Cassava Leaves with Peanut Paste)
Velvety stewed cassava leaves slowly simmered with roasted peanut butter, smoked fish, and aromatic alliums for Gabon's iconic comfort lunch.
Maboké de Capitaine (Braised Nile Perch in Marantaceae Leaves)
Succulent freshwater Nile perch braised in aromatic marantaceae leaf parcels over glowing embers with odika, wild garlic, and fiery scotch bonnets.
Maboké de Viande de Brousse (Smoked Bushmeat Steamed in Marantaceae Leaves)
Savory smoked meat en papillote with toasted pumpkin seeds and wild aromatics, slow-braised over embers in fragrant tropical leaves.
Ngon (Steamed Cucurbit Squash Seed and Smoked Fish Cake)
A prized ceremonial steamed loaf of stone-ground cucurbit squash seeds studded with flaked smoked fish and bundled in banana leaves.
Poisson Salé aux Gombos (Salted Fish Stew with Okra)
Flaky desalted whitefish simmered in a luscious, savoury fresh okra and tomato sauce spiked with red palm oil and Scotch bonnet.
Poulet Nyembwe (Gabonese Chicken in Palm Nut Sauce)
Succulent braised chicken bathed in a velvety red palm fruit pulp sauce seasoned with garlic, smoked fish, and fiery habanero.
Sauce Folon (Amaranth Greens Stew with Dried Fish)
Tender forest amaranth leaves braised in a savory, palm-oil and peanut base studded with rich hardwood-smoked river fish.
Sauce Odika au Poisson Fumé (Wild Mango Kernel Chocolate Sauce with Smoked Fish)
Intense, velvety Gabonese chocolate sauce made from roasted wild mango kernels simmered with flaked smoked fish and fragrant spices.
Side
Banane Plantain Pilée (Pounded Boiled Green Plantains)
Velvety, elastic pounded green plantains enriched with red palm oil and seasoned simply with salt and white pepper.
Foufou de Manioc (Pounded Cassava Starch Dumpling)
An elastic, smooth staple dumpling crafted from fermented cassava pulp beaten vigorously over heat to accompany rich forest gravies.
Nkumu à l'Oseille (Gnetum Greens with Wild Sorrel and Smoked Fish)
Finely shredded Gnetum leaves stewed with tangy wild sorrel, rich peanut paste, and flakes of aromatic smoked fish.
Piment Pilé au Citron et Gingembre (Crushed Habanero, Lemon, and Ginger Relish)
A blistering, citrus-forward Gabonese relish of mortar-crushed habaneros, fibrous fresh ginger, pungent garlic, and sea salt.
Dessert
Chakery Gabonnais (Sweet Couscous Pudding with Fermented Milk)
A velvety chilled dessert combining tender steamed millet grains with tangy fermented milk, sweet condensed cream, and aromatic nutmeg.
Klako (Spiced Ripe Plantain Fritters)
Golden, crackling fritters of overripe sweet plantain scented with fiery ginger, cayenne, and fragrant nutmeg.
Drink
Malamba (Fermented Sugarcane Wine infused with Bitter Bark)
A deep amber artisanal sugarcane wine fermented with forest barks, offering profound earthy bitterness and dry alcoholic warmth.
Toutou (Fresh Palm Wine)
A pristine, effervescent wild-fermented sap drawn from oil palms, balancing floral sweetness with an electric lactic acidity.
Street food
Atanga Grillé (Charcoal-Roasted African Butterfruit)
Tender, buttery charcoal-roasted African atanga fruit paired with coarse salt and steaming sticks of fermented cassava.
Coupé-Coupé (Spiced Chargrilled Beef Skewers)
Succulent skewers of chargrilled beef ribbons crusted in piquant kankankan spice, sliced hot into bite-sized street snacks.
Mintoumba (Spiced Fermented Cassava Loaf with Palm Oil)
Tangy fermented cassava loaf marbled with vibrant palm oil and aromatic spices, wrapped in tender banana leaves and steamed to a dense, chewy perfection.