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Banku is a Ghanaian dish made from fermented corn and cassava dough. It is usually shaped into a ball and served with a variety of fish dishes, soups, and stews. Banku is consumed by almost all Ghanaian tribes, and can be traced back to the tribes in the Volta River region.
Afang is a traditional soup hailing from the southeastern parts of Nigeria. It's made with a combination of afang leaves, water leaves, dried fish, beef, onions, red palm oil, ground crayfish, and seasoning cubes. The afang leaves are ground or pounded and the onions are chopped before the beef is boiled with the onions and seasoning cubes in a small quantity of water.
When done, the dried fish is added with the palm oil, ground pepper, afang leaves, and water leaves. Once the leaves become tender and the liquids evaporate a bit, the soup is simmered for a short while before it's ready to be served. Afang soup is typically served at festive events such as weddings and celebrations.
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Seswaa, also known as chotlho, is Botswana's national dish consisting of meat on the bone (usually beef) that's slow-cooked in salted water. Once the meat has been cooked, it is pounded with large wooden pestles, then served over pap. Seswaa is usually prepared by men due to the physical extortion during the preparation process, since the meat is cooked in traditional, three-legged pots (called potjie) over an open fire.
Lamb or goat meat can be used instead of beef, although beef is the most popular option in Botswana. Seswaa is almost always served on special occasions, weddings, and during the country's celebration of the independence day.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chikwanga or kwanga is a traditional bread from the Democratic Republic of Congo, consisting of cassava flour cakes that are wrapped in dry banana leaves, then steamed. Its savory flavor pairs well with most of the main meals in the country.
It is especially popular to serve warm chikwanga with various African stews, soups, and sauces as it helps to slightly offset their spicy flavors. This cassava-based bread is typically cut into thick round slices before it's served on the plates. Once prepared, chikwanga will keep for a few days, but only if it's kept in the leaf-wrapper in a dry and cool place.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kalinté is a traditional street bread originating from Tangier. It's usually made with a combination of chickpea flour, eggs, olive oil, salt, lukewarm water, and ground cumin or harissa sauce. Once prepared, the batter should be smooth and chilled for a while before it's baked in a brick oven, usually in a deep-dish pan.
The top of kalinté is brushed with oil and it should be golden brown and glazed once it's baked. Kalinté is eaten by the slice, often as a small rectangle, and it's sprinkled with cumin or harissa before serving. The name of this flan-like dish is the Tangier slang word for heat.
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Moin moin is a Nigerian dish consisting of ground beans or black-eyed peas, onions, oil, and freshly ground peppers such as chili, bell pepper, and Scotch bonnet. The dish is usually served as an accompaniment to jollof rice, fried plantains, and akamu.
It can also be consumed on its own as a snack. Moin moin is so popular that it is regularly served at celebrations and similar special occasions.
Sellou is a popular Moroccan sweet consisting of oven-browned flour, fried almonds, and toasted sesame seeds. The dessert is not baked, as all of the ingredients are combined instead. Rich and nutty, sellou acts as food that restores energy and health, which is the reason why it is traditionally served during Ramadan and at celebrations or special occasions.
Originating from East Libya, makaruna imbaukha is a savory dish made with steamed pasta as the key ingredient. The pasta is combined with meat (usually lamb) and a rich sauce made with clarified butter, tomatoes, onions, chickpeas, potatoes, pumpkin, and raisins.
The whole dish is typically flavored with cloves, bay leaves, ginger, black pepper, and shaiba leaves. For the final touch, makaruna imbaukha can be sprinkled with orange flower water and cinnamon. When served, the pasta is traditionally spread in the center of the plate and topped with everything else.
Though its origins presumably lie in Morocco, matbucha is also a favorite in Israel, where it was brought by Jewish immigrants. The dish consists of roasted bell peppers and tomatoes seasoned with garlic and ground paprika. In Morocco, it is typically enjoyed as meze—assorted small dishes—while Israelis typically think of it as an appetizer.
Matbucha should always be served drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil, accompanied by a warm flatbread on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Ndolé is one of the two national dishes of Cameroon, traditionally made with boiled bitterleaf, peanuts, and melon seeds. Seasoned with spices and hot oil, ndolé can be cooked with either fish or meat. This flavorful stew is usually served with bobolo – fermented cassava shaped into a loaf.
It is a rich, highly caloric dish that is always present at parties and festivities. Ndolé can also be accompanied by fufu corn, yams, rice, or fried plantains as side dishes.
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