How to Enjoy African Cuisine

Trying African food for the first time can be intimidating if you are not familiar with its preparation and ingredients.  Traditional African meals incorporate proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates for a filling, nutritious diet.  To enjoy eating African cuisine, ask your server for recommendations, and choose a simply prepared dish with familiar ingredients.

• Choose a dish that contains ingredients you like.  When you are trying African cuisine for the first time, don’t go too far out of your comfort zone.  Many African dishes are made with meats you’ve probably eaten before such as beef or lamb.  While the preparation may be different, most meat will have a specific taste, so choose the type that you’ve eaten and liked before.


• Ask your server to recommend a dish based on your taste.  Servers at authentic African restaurants will know how each menu item is prepared and what it tastes like.  Describe the type of food you normally eat as well as the flavors and textures you enjoy the most.  If you explain your personal taste, your server will be able to recommend a dish that is similar to the food you enjoy.


• Pick a dish that has an appropriate spice level.  African cuisine uses a lot of spices.  Some are sweet and mild while others are hot and spicy.  If you don’t like spices, and you order a spicy dish by accident, then your entire meal will be ruined.  That’s why it’s very important to ask your server about the spiciness of a dish you are considering ordering.


• Avoid complicated dishes that include too many ingredients.  While unusually prepared African dishes can be very delicious, save them for another time.  When you are trying the food of any origin or nation for the first time, it’s best to stick to simply prepared dishes with clean flavors and few ingredients.  Many African dishes are made with complex sauces and stews that have a range of flavors from spicy to sweet.  For your first taste of African cuisine, stick with dishes that use simple preparation methods such as grilling or marinating.