African Cooking and Recipes

It is generally the women of Sub-Saharan Africa who do most of the work related to food. This includes work on the "plantations" or "shambas" (as cultivated fields are called), such as planting, weeding, harvesting, as well cooking as cooking and serving the food.

The African kitchen is traditionally outside or in a separate building apart from the sleeping and living quarters. By far the most traditional and to this day the most common sight in an African kitchen is a large swing blackpots filled with meat, vegetables, and spices simmering over a fire. The pot usually sits on three stones arranged in a triangle, and the fire slowly consumes three pieces of wood that meet at a point under the pot.

Vegetables

Yams, Okra, Watermelon, Cassava, Groundnuts, Black-eyed Peas, Cabbage, Maize - corn, Groundnuts, Sweet Potatoes

Meats

Chicken, Pork, Beef, Fish of local varieties

Spices

Garlic, Melegueta pepper - West African (substitute use cardamon), Cloves, Black peppercorns, Cardamom, Nutmeg, turmeric, Pilau mix, Curry powder

Other

Lemons, Rice