African

Known as one of the mother sauces of African cuisine, mafé can be paired with chicken, fish, vegetables, rice, or pretty much whatever you want.

As the name suggests, West Africa’s most popular form of fried dough is essentially a delectable fried pillow of airy dough.

Meskouta is a wonderfully moist yogurt cake that is so easy to prepare.

Traditional injera takes a week to make, since you need four days to make the sponge, plus another three to prepare the batter.

Meet mlaoui—msemen’s rebellious younger brother—a flaky skillet-fried Moroccan flatbread.

These lacy pancakes are cooked only on one side, which gives them an incredibly light and delicate texture.

This Moroccan chicken tagine recipe is savory and a little bit sweet, and gently spiced with cinnamon.

Vibrantly colored, mouth-watering collard-peanut pesto adds flair to this dish that brings out the best of garden-fresh zucchini and other squashes.

Tagines are typical street food in Morocco, and this is the one that is most commonly found, except that street vendors cut the potatoes into small dice and I prefer to use new potatoes, which I leave whole if they are very small or halve if they are medium.

This omelet is flavored simply with nearly charred onions and fresh chives. To ensure the accompanying frites are soft and pillowy on the inside, they’re cooked in salted water before being fried.

This easy dinner is inspired by gomen, an Ethiopian dish in which greens are flavored with an aromatic spiced butter. Breaded tofu is a delightful counterpoint.

A cornerstone of Ethiopian cooking, this clarified butter is infused with spices and herbs native the region, giving it unique flavor and aroma.

The liberal spoonful of Chakalaka (spicy vegetable relish) makes these extra special. If you don’t have a jar of it in your fridge, you can use any type of relish or chutney.

Like chutney in India or salsa in Mexico, no one in South Africa prepares chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish, the same way. Here is our version, full of vegetables and spices. Serve the chakalaka with bread, rice, grilled meats or fish, stews...anything.

Essentially Somali chai, this spiced tea with milk is served most often during the Somali afternoon tea tradition known as casariya.

These pancakes are quick to cook and are typically eaten for breakfast. Spread them with a little butter, ghee, or sesame oil and sprinkle with sugar if you’d like. Serve with hot tea or alongside cups of Shaah Cadays.

Fish and chips, when done well, is a cornerstone of British culinary success. It can be wrapped in old newspaper and eaten at the beach with a wooden fork with the same fervor and joy as a finely dined fish and chips served on white china with an expensive bottle of Chablis next to it. That comforting combination of carb and fish protein can be seen in many other cultures too. (Fish tacos, anyone?) So why wouldn’t Ghana have its own version?

Here is my super bougie restyling of an everyday Ghanaian hot chile condiment. My bet is that once you’ve made it, you’ll be shouting at your West African friends because no one told you about it before. Until now, you thought XO sauce solved everything. Until now, you thought sambal belacan was the only smoked fish dip the world needed. But now, you’ve realized: I Shito, therefore I am. This recipe is luxurious, it is decadent, it is rich and textured for lavish enjoyment. Right here is where hot pepper sauce dreams comes true.

Sweet peaches, spicy pimento cheese spread, and smoky grilled bread combine in this ultimate summer toast.

This Ethiopian dish of chickpeas in a berbere-spiced, flaxseed-thickened sauce makes for a quick, filling, and wonderfully flavorful meal.

Grilling watermelon caramelizes the sweetness of the fruit, and the char gives just a hint of smoky flavor.

Nigerian peppersoup should be fiery hot with rich flavor—while the traditional spices can be hard to find in the U.S., this recipe approximates the taste with a few more readily available substitutes.

Egusi seeds—the large seeds of an African melon—are toasted and ground to thicken this popular Nirgerian stew.

Seasoned with a spice mix of ground peanuts, cayenne, and ginger, these skewers are most often served with shaved onions and sliced tomato, here a tomato-cream dipping sauce quells the fiery heat.