African Recipes

Located at North Africa’s Mediterranean coast, Morocco was at the heart of the ancient spice trade route. This meant that the country could import spices from all over the world, resulting in an exotically sweet, savoury and spicy national cuisine.

Recipes from Morocco often use a combination of 10 spices which are closely associated with Moroccan cuisine by chefs and home cooks all over the world.

1. Cayenne is made from spicy chilli peppers and adds heat to savoury dishes.
2. Cinnamon is native to Morocco and lends its sweet aroma to recipes both sweet and savoury.
3. Cumin adds a dimension of flavour to tagines.
4. Turmeric gives dishes a vibrant yellow colour and distinct flavour.
5. Coriander has a slightly lemony flavour – not to be confused with fresh cilantro.
6. Paprika offers a sweet flavour and deep red colour.
7. Black and white pepper is an important spice component of Moroccan tagines.
8. Aniseed is known for its liquorice flavour and is used most often in baked goods.
9. Saffron is farmed widely in Morocco and is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its meticulous harvesting process.
10. Ginger is used extensively in Moroccan cooking and adds a spicy dimension to dishes.

The African food scene is incredibly diverse, as it encompasses a wide variety of cultures, climates, and ingredients across the continent. Therefore, it's impossible to generalise African food as a whole. However, most traditional African dishes make use of staples such as maize (corn), millet, sorghum, rice, yams, cassava and plantains, as well as incorporating herbs, seasonings and spices, and locally available, often indigenous ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, and unique proteins.
This collection of African recipes celebrates popular dishes from all ends of Africa, including renowned South African recipes such as bunny chow and shisa nyama.

Africa’s Favourite Dishes

Here are some of Africa’s most loved dishes, including African foods spanning the entire continent.
- Pap en vleis/Shisa nyama, South Africa: Grilled meat paired with maize porridge is a cherished combination among numerous cultures in Southern Africa. Referred to as "Pap en vleis" (translated as "maize porridge and meat"), this term covers a wide range of dishes combining various starches with either grilled or stewed meats, accompanied by zesty gravy, relish, or chakalaka. - Kapenta with sadza, Zimbabwe: Crispy, fried kapenta (freshwater fish native to Lake Tanganyika), were introduced to Lake Kariba and now are a much-loved African food for lakeside populations of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kepenta is often paired with maize porridge, stewed tomatoes, onions and fresh greens. - Jollof rice and egusi soup: You can’t possibly visit Africa without trying jollof rice and egusi soup. Originating in fishing communities of Saint-Louis, this African recipe is popular at parties, and comprises of rice, tomatoes, onions and pepper. - Bunny chow, South Africa: Bunny chow is a hollowed-out half of white bread loaf, filled with curry, and is one of South Africa’s most treasured street foods. It certainly saves on the washing up! - Muamba de Galinha, Angola: A zesty and slightly oily stew, crafted using oil or butter, infused with garlic, chilli peppers, and okra. Across the Congo River region, you'll encounter diverse variations of chicken muamba, all frequently accompanied by cassava leaves and white rice. - Nyama na irio, Kenya: A true comfort food, nyama na irio is an African recipe made of mashed-up potatoes, peas, beans, corn and onion, most often served with spiced roasted meat.