African Recipes

When I made this dish I left the kitchen window open. The smell attracted several male neighbors, and when my husband came in, he said that it smelled so good, he hoped it was coming from our house and not from someone else's! Serve with my Moroccan Couscous and Cucumber Raita on this site.

I have been making this Moroccan-style recipe for years. It's so easy to make, it has become a tradition in our household.

My Ethiopian friend brought this dish to a potluck and I've been making it ever since. It is healthy and delicious. Do not add liquid. The cabbage and potatoes release enough moisture on their own.

Chakchouka (also called shakshouka) is a Tunisian and Israeli dish of tomatoes, onions, pepper, spices, and eggs. It's usually eaten for breakfast or lunch, but I think it's tasty anytime. And it's easy to make. It is similar to the Turkish dish 'Menemen' and to the Latin American breakfast dish 'Huevos Rancheros.'

These tasty vetkoek (fat cakes) make for a lovely dinner or snack. You can make these vetkoek any size you prefer. They're a great party snack if they are made small and filled with various processed meats, tuna and mayo, syrup, curried minced meat, cheese, or basically anything you feel like. They're fast, easy, and very tasty.

This South African original is similar to meatloaf, but so much better. A slightly sweet curry flavors ground beef with a milk and egg custard on top. It's delicious!

My 'ouma' South African grandmother's legendary milk tart. It is lip-smacking. The recipe is a real winner. It is a traditional South African tart that is very easy to prepare.

I love berbere spice, a classic Ethiopian spice blend, but it never occurred to me to make my own. Actually, authentic berbere spice would use whole spice seeds/pods, toasted, and ground. But I usually toast the spices during the cooking process. Berbere is one of the most delicious and versatile spice mixes ever.

This spice mix is often called for in many Moroccan dishes.

Harissa powder is the ground spice blend of the spicy, earthy North African paste with a base of smoked chili peppers. It can be used as a dry rub on meats or as a spice in place of any other spice blend in your favorite recipe, such as tacos, tagines, braised meats, curries, or even tofu. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month, or until the expiration date of any of the single ingredients, if earlier.

These amazingly soft triangle-shaped donuts are very famous in East Africa where I come from. They are excellent with a cup of tea or coffee. The dash of cardamom adds an authentic taste which makes it different from regular donuts. You can serve it with either honey or jam. Could be also served with curry - that is how we like it...

This soup is native to West Africa (Nigeria) and many of my American as well as Nigerian friends have enjoyed it. It is a great soup for those who like to try something different every once in a while. Ground Egusi seeds give this soup a unique color and flavor. If you can't find Egusi seeds, you can substitute pumpkin seeds. Any combination of crab, shrimp and smoked fish can be used in place of the shrimp. Drained, smoked oysters and chicken can be used in place of the beef.

This recipe came to be as a way to use the kale that was flourishing in my garden. It could also incorporate all kinds of other vegetables - whatever is in your fridge that needs to be used. Serve over couscous.

This delicious, healthy North African-inspired stew is a family favorite, served with warm bread or even over couscous. You can make the entire stew ahead of time, let it cool, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for several months. You can also chop the veggies and mix the spices ahead of time, freeze them, and assemble it with the canned ingredients the day you wish to cook it for a wonderful exotic meal in just 30 minutes.

A hearty stew that's super-easy to make and great for peanut butter lovers. Can be made vegetarian or with chicken. In a pinch, feel free to use vegetable or corn oil for peanut oil, powdered ginger for fresh, water for stock, etc. Kale works well in place of collard greens.

This oddly wonderful combination of ingredients make a surprisingly different and delicious soup that everyone will enjoy! Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and some crusty bread for dipping. YUM!

Thick, delicious and nutritious, especially in the winter!

This rich, South African pudding contains no marshmallows, but probably got its name from its spongy texture! Delicious served hot or cold with cream.

Umm Ali is a delicious traditional Egyptian dessert equivalent to North America's bread pudding. You can serve it warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

My family and I have been trying to eat healthy, so I started adding veggies to all my soups. This recipe is easy to make, fun, and delicious. You can modify it in many ways; add your own favorite cooking oil, as well as your own greens. Serve with toasted rosemary bread. Yum!

Spices, spices, spices! This recipe is thick with 'em, and your taste buds will be thick with pleasure from Moroccan Chicken. This exotic tasting dish is a definite crowd pleaser!

A traditional recipe for this eggplant dip. It consists of baked eggplant with garlic, lemon juice, and tahini sauce. Dip into this with pita bread and you have yourself a delicious-and-light appetizer.

I learned about this when I was in Kenya. I've never tasted better fries nor more nutritious fries. Potatoes aren't that common in Kenya but bananas and roots are. They taste as good as any fast food French fries and are healthier. Green bananas are the healthiest because they have all their vitamins where ripe ones lose most of them because they're too ripe. Green bananas do not have a strong banana flavor at all. It's very deceptive and very healthy. I couldn't stop eating them.

This Moroccan recipe was passed down for generations in my family. We usually serve it on the Sabbath night and holidays. It is a favorite! This dish may be served hot or cold according to taste.