African cuisine/ja: Difference between revisions

The cooking of the Southern Africa region (not to be confused with the country of [[South Africa]]) is sometimes called "rainbow cuisine", as the food in this region is a blend of many cultures: [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous]] [[Africa]]n societies, [[European cuisine|European]], and [[Asian cuisine|Asian]]. To understand indigenous [[Africa]]n cuisine, it is important to understand the various native peoples of southern Africa.  The indigenous [[Africa]]ns of Southern Africa were roughly divided into two groups and several subgroups.

The largest group consisted of the [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]]-speakers, whose descendants today may identify themselves by various subgroup names such as Ndebele ([[Northern Ndebele people|northern]] and [[Southern Ndebele people|southern]]), [[Shona people|Shona]], [[Venda people|Venda]], [[Zulu people|Zulu]], [[Xhosa people|Xhosa]], [[Swazi people|Swazi]], [[Sotho people|Sotho]], [[Tswana people|Tswana]], [[Pedi people|Pedi]] and [[Tsonga people|Tsonga]].  They arrived in the region around 2,000 years ago, bringing crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and iron toolmaking with them.  Hence the Bantu-speakers grew grain crops extensively and raised cattle, sheep and goats.  They also grew and continue to grow pumpkins, beans, and leafy greens as vegetables.

A smaller group were the primeval residents of the region, the [[Khoisan]], who some archaeologists believe had lived in the region for at least 10,000 years.  Many descendants of the Khoisan people have now been incorporated into the population of South Africa.  The Khoisan originally were hunter-gatherers (who came to be known as "San" by the Bantu-speakers and as "bushmen" by Europeans).  After the arrival of the Bantu-speakers, however, some [[Khoisan]] adopted the Bantu-speakers' raising of cattle but did not grow crops.  The [[Khoisan]] who raised cattle called themselves "Khoi-Khoi" and came to be known by Europeans as "Hottentots."

[[File:Potjiekos2.jpg|thumb|[[Potjiekos]] is a traditional African stew (popularised by [[Afrikaners]]) made with meat and vegetables and cooked over coals in [[cast-iron]] pots.]] People were, in other words, defined to some extent by the kinds of food they ate.  The Bantu-speakers ate dishes of grain, meat, milk and vegetables, as well as fermented grain and fermented milk products. While the Khoi-Khoi ate meat and milk and the San hunted wild animals and gathered wild tubers and vegetables.  In many ways, the daily food of native South African families can be traced to the indigenous foods that their native [[Africa]]n ancestors ate. The [[Khoisan]] and [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]] traditionally ate roasted meat, and they also dried meat for later use.

The influence of their diet is reflected in the universal Southern African love of barbecue (generally called in South Africa by its Afrikaans name, a "braai") and [[biltong]] (dried preserved meat). The traditional beer was ubiquitous in the southern African diet, and the fermentation added additional nutrients to the diet. It was a traditional obligation for any family to be able to offer a visitor copious amounts of beer.  Beer brewing was done by women, and the status of a housewife in pre-colonial southern Africa depended significantly on her skill at brewing delicious beer.

[[File:Mageu (carton and glass).JPG|thumb|A carton and glass of [[mageu]], a traditional non-alcoholic drink made from [[fermentation (food)|fermented]] [[maize|mealie]] [[porridge|pap]] that is popular among many of the [[Nguni people]]]]

Milk was historically one of the most important components of the southern African diet.  Cattle were considered a man's most important possession. In order to marry, a man had to compensate his prospective in-laws with a gift of cattle as a dowry for his bride.  A married man was expected to provide a generous supply of milk to his wife and children, along with meat whenever he slaughtered cattle, sheep or goats.  Because there was no refrigeration, milk was mostly soured into a kind of yogurt.

The young men of the family often took care of the cattle far away from the villages at "cattle posts," and they sent a steady stream of yogurt home on behalf of their fathers.  Today, many South Africans of [[Africa]]n origin enjoy drinking sour milk products that are sold in the supermarket, comparable to American buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream.

The basic ingredients include seafood, meat products (including wild game), poultry, as well as grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits include [[apple]]s, [[grape]]s, [[mango]]es, [[banana]]s, [[papaya]]s, [[avocado]], [[Orange (fruit)|oranges]], [[peach]]es and [[apricot]]s. Desserts may simply be fruit, but there are some more western-style puddings, such as [[malva pudding]], reminiscent of [[sticky toffee pudding]], which was inspired by both [[British cuisine]] and [[Dutch cuisine]]. Meat products include lamb, and game like [[venison]], [[ostrich]], and [[impala]]. The seafood includes [[Crayfish as food|crayfish]], [[Shrimp and prawn as food|prawns]], [[tuna]], [[mussel]]s, [[oyster]]s, calamari, [[Mackerel as food|mackerel]], and [[Lobster meat|lobster]]. There are also several types of traditional and modern [[alcoholic beverage]]s including many European-style [[beer]]s.

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=== Notable dishes ===

* [[Inyama yenhloko]]

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=== Countries ===

* [[Botswana cuisine]]

* [[Cuisine of Eswatini]]

* [[Cuisine of Lesotho]]

* [[Namibian cuisine]]

* [[South African cuisine]]

* [[Zimbabwe cuisine]]

* [[Mozambican cuisine]]

==West Africa==

{{Main|West African cuisine}}

[[File:Mafe SN.JPG|thumb|West African [[maafe]] or groundnut stew, prepared by a [[Senegal]]ese cook]]

A typical [[West Africa]]n meal is made with [[starch]]y items and can contain meat, fish, as well as various spices and herbs. A wide array of staples are eaten across the region, including [[fufu]], [[Banku (dish)|banku]], [[kenkey]] (originating from [[Ghana]]), foutou, [[couscous]], tô, and [[garri]], which are served alongside soups and stews. Fufu is often made from starchy [[root vegetable]]s such as [[yam (vegetable)|yams]], [[Xanthosoma|cocoyams]], or [[cassava]], and also from cereal grains like millet, sorghum or plantains.

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[[File:Jollof rice.jpg|thumb|[[Jollof rice]] is a popular dish throughout West Africa.]]

The staple grain or starch varies between regions and ethnic groups, although corn has gained significant ground as it is cheap, swells to greater volumes and creates a beautiful white final product that is greatly desired.  Banku and kenkey are maize dough staples, and garri is made from dried grated cassavas. Rice dishes are also widely eaten in the region, especially in the dry [[Sahel]] belt inland. Examples of these include the Senegalese dish [[thieboudienne]] also known as [[Thieboudienne|benachin]] or [[Jollof rice]], a pan-West African rice dish similar to Arab [[kabsah]].

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Seeds of Guinea pepper ([[Aframomum melegueta]], also called grains of paradise or melegueta pepper), a native [[West African]] plant, were used as a spice and even reached Europe, through North African middlemen, during the Middle Ages. Centuries before the influence of the Europeans, [[West Africa]]ns were trading with the [[Arab world]] and spices like [[cinnamon]], [[clove]]s, and [[Mentha|mint]] were not unknown, therefore becoming part of the local flavorings. Centuries later, the Portuguese, French and British influenced the regional cuisines, but only to a limited extent.

The local cuisine and recipes of [[West Africa]] continue to remain deeply entrenched in the local customs and traditions, with ingredients like native rice (''[[Oryza glaberrima]]''), rice, [[fonio]], millet, sorghum, [[Bambara groundnut]]s and [[Hausa groundnut]]s, [[black-eyed pea]]s, brown beans, and root vegetables such as yams, [[cocoyam]]s, [[sweet potato]]es, and cassava. Cooking techniques include [[roasting]], [[baking]], [[boiling]], [[frying]], mashing, and spicing. A range of sweets and savories are also prepared.

[[File:Kwlikwli.jpg|thumb|Klouikloui, rings of fried peanut butter as served in [[Benin]]]]

Cooking techniques of West Africa are changing.  In the past [[West Africa]]ns ate much less meat and used native oils ([[palm oil]] on the coast and [[shea butter]] in Sahelian regions).  Baobob leaf and numerous local greens were everyday staples during certain times of the year. Today the diet is much heavier in meats, salt, and fats.  Many dishes combine fish and meat, including dried and fermented fish. Flaked and dried fish is often fried in oil, and sometimes cooked in sauce made with hot peppers, onions, tomatoes, various spices (such as [[sumbala|soumbala]]), and water to prepare a highly flavored stew.

In some areas beef and mutton are preferred, and goat meat is the dominant red meat. [[Suya]], a popular grilled spicy meat [[kebab]] flavored with peanuts and other spices, is sold by street vendors as a snack or evening meal and is typically made with beef or chicken.  It is common to have a preponderance of seafood, which as earlier stated, is sometimes also mixed with other meat products. Guinea fowl and chicken eggs are also preferred.

With regard to beverages, water has a very strong ritual significance in many West African nations (particularly in dry areas) and water is often the first thing an [[Africa]]n host will offer their guest. [[Palm wine]] is also a common beverage made from the fermented sap of various types of [[Arecaceae|palm]] trees and is usually sold in sweet (less-fermented, retaining more of the sap's sugar) or sour (fermented longer, making it stronger and less sweet) varieties.  Millet beer is another common beverage (Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, is an alcoholic beverage made from malted millet.)

===Countries===

* [[Benin cuisine]]

* [[Burkinabé cuisine]], Burkina Faso

* [[Ghanaian cuisine]]

* [[Cuisine of Guinea-Bissau]]

* [[Cuisine of Guinea]]

* [[Ivorian cuisine]]

* [[Liberian cuisine]]

* [[Malian cuisine]]

* [[Mauritanian cuisine]]

* [[Nigerian cuisine]]

* [[Cuisine of Niger]]

* [[Cuisine of Saint Helena]]

* [[Senegalese cuisine]]

* [[Cuisine of Sierra Leone]]

* [[Togolese cuisine]]

'''<big>Notable Dishes</big>'''

'''Bitter Leaf Soup'''

The Bitter Leaf itself is known scientifically as Vernonia amygdalina and is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. The bitter taste comes from the alkaloids contained within the plant.