West Africa
Nigeria
Jollof, egusi, suya, pounded yam — the continent's loudest, proudest kitchen.
Staples
- Garri or Eba (fermented cassava grit)
- Iyan (pounded white yam)
- Tuwo shinkafa (soft mashed rice swallow)
- Ewa Oloyin (honey beans)
- Abacha (shredded dried cassava)
Seasonings
- Iru or Dawadawa (fermented African locust beans)
- Epo Pupa (unrefined red palm oil)
- Ground dried crayfish
- Uda (Negro pepper pods)
- Ehuru (Calabash nutmeg)
Techniques
- Pounding boiled tubers in wooden mortars
- Fermenting locust beans into pungent seasoning
- Slow-simmering thick mucilaginous draw soups
- Bleaching palm oil for aromatic stews
At the table
Traditionally prepared by female family members in multi-pot sessions, a typical everyday serving consists of a molded starch swallow accompanied by a rich, protein-dense soup laden with dried fish, tripe, and leafy greens. While southern tables favor heavy palm oil draw soups like ogbono or egusi, northern Hausa communities typically serve lighter, baobab-leaf miyan kuka alongside delicate tuwo grains.
33 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Akara (Crispy Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)
Golden, cloud-light fritters with a shatteringly crisp exterior and airy, savory interior laced with fiery scotch bonnet and sweet onions.
Moin Moin (Steamed Savory Bean Pudding)
Silky, fluffy steamed pudding crafted from peeled black-eyed peas, red peppers, smoked fish, and boiled eggs.
Ogi (Fermented Cereal Starch Porridge)
Silky, comforting lactic-fermented corn starch porridge served hot with evaporated milk and sugar.
Soup
Afang Soup (Wild Spinach and Waterleaf Soup)
A rich, velvety Efik-Ibibio delicacy packed with shredded wild okazi leaves, tender braised meats, periwinkles, and fragrant red palm oil.
Banga Soup (Palm Fruit Extract Soup)
A luxurious Niger Delta delicacy made from fresh palm fruit extract infused with native aromatic spices, dried seafood, and fresh river catfish.
Edikang Ikong (Fluted Pumpkin and Waterleaf Vegetable Soup)
A celebrated vegetable soup from Cross River packed with fluted pumpkin, waterleaf, periwinkles, and an abundance of braised artisanal proteins.
Efo Riro (Yoruba Rich Vegetable Stew)
Vibrant, savory stew of blanched greens, smoked fish, and tender meats folded into a spicy, locust-bean-infused pepper base.
Egusi Soup with Pounded Yam (Ofe Egusi & Iyan)
Rich ground melon seed soup studded with tender meats and leafy greens, paired with smooth, stretchy pounded white yam.
Gbegiri (Creamy Peeled Brown Bean Soup)
A velvety, golden-yellow Yoruba soup made from peeled brown cowpeas simmered soft, mashed, and seasoned with unrefined red palm oil and ground crayfish.
Miyan Kuka (Dried Baobab Leaf Stew)
A rich, viscous northern Nigerian soup crafted from sun-dried baobab leaves simmered with tender beef, tripe, and pungent fermented locust beans.
Ofe Nsala (White Soup with Catfish and Yam)
An aromatic, palm-oil-free Igbo broth infused with pungent utazi leaves, spiced catfish, and freshly pounded yam for a silky, restorative finish.
Ofe Oha (Oha Leaf and Cocoyam Soup)
An aromatic southeastern Nigerian soup defined by tender cocoyam paste, smoky proteins, ogiri seed ferment, and delicate hand-torn oha leaves.
Main
Abacha (African Salad of Shredded Dried Cassava)
A vibrant Igbo delicacy of rehydrated shredded cassava emulsified in spiced palm oil paste with dried fish, garden eggs, and utazi.
Ayamase (Bleached Palm Oil Green Pepper Sauce)
A luscious, deeply aromatic green pepper sauce cooked in smoked palm oil with boiled eggs and tender assorted meats, designed for fragrant Ofada rice.
Egusi Soup (Nigerian Melon Seed Stew)
Rich, nutty ground melon seed soup simmered with leafy greens, smoked catfish, and aromatic palm oil.
Frejon (Spiced Coconut and Black Bean Puree)
A rich, velvety spiced black bean and coconut milk puree traditionally prepared by Afro-Brazilian returnees in Lagos for Good Friday celebrations.
Nigerian Jollof Rice (Party Jollof)
Smoky, aromatic long-grain parboiled rice cooked in a rich, deeply reduced red bell pepper and tomato reduction.
Tuwo Shinkafa (Mashed Soft Rice Swallows)
A supple, pillowy Northern Nigerian rice swallow crafted from overcooked short-grain rice, mashed into a smooth, cohesive mound for rich soups.
Ukodo (Yam and Plantain Pepper Soup Pottage)
A fragrant Urhobo and Itsekiri pepper soup pottage simmered with tender yam chunks, semi-ripe plantains, goat meat, and traditional Delta aromatics.
Side
Amala (Fermented Sun-Dried Yam Flour Swallow)
A glossy, dark brown Yoruba swallow dish crafted by vigorously turning fermented sun-dried yam flour into boiling water until supple and elastic.
Gurasa (Clay-Oven Leavened Flatbread)
A pillowy, golden Kano Hausa leavened flatbread dusted with hot suya pepper and drizzled with groundnut oil.
Iru (Fermented African Locust Bean Relish)
A deeply pungent, savory Yoruba table relish slow-fried with fresh fermented locust beans, shallots, smoked fish flakes, and sun-dried ground peppers.
Yaji (Suya Pepper Spice Blend)
The legendary smoky, nutty, and fiery northern Nigerian dry spice blend used to season grilled suya meats.
Dessert
Drink
Fura da Nono (Spiced Millet Dumplings with Fermented Milk)
A nourishing Northern Nigerian beverage of spiced, steamed pearl millet dumplings mashed into tart, chilled fermented cow's milk.
Kunu Zaki (Spiced Fermented Millet and Ginger Drink)
A velvety, naturally sweet fermented northern Nigerian millet tonic fragrant with fiery ginger and cloves.
Zobo (Spiced Dried Roselle Hibiscus Drink)
A deep ruby Nigerian infusion of tart dried roselle calyces brewed with fresh ginger, pineapple peels, cloves, and aromatic spices.
Street food
Boli (Charcoal-Roasted Whole Plantain)
Sweet, semi-ripe whole plantains slow-roasted over glowing charcoal until smoky and golden-crusted, served with fiery pepper sauce.
Dodo Ikire (Spiced Caramelized Plantain Clusters)
Deeply caramelized overripe plantains pounded with dried peppers and palm oil into glossy, chewy, sweet-and-fiery nuggets.
Kilishi (Spiced Sun-Dried Thin Beef Jerky)
Wafer-thin sheets of sun-dried lean beef slathered in a fiery kuli-kuli peanut and aromatic spice paste, then flash-roasted over open coals.
Nigerian Asun (Spicy Smoked Goat Meat)
A fiery, aromatic Nigerian street food specialty made of tender roasted goat meat cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed in a coarse, fragrant blend of scotch bonnet peppers, onions, and spices.
Nigerian Puff Puff (Spiced Sweet Fried Dough)
Golden, spongy deep-fried dough globes scented with warm nutmeg, offering a crisp exterior and airy, pillowy interior.
Suya (Hausa Spiced Grilled Beef Skewers)
Paper-thin slices of skewered beef coated in fiery, nutty Yaji pepper spice and char-grilled over smoky open flames.