How to Use African Seasonings in Cooking

The African continent hosts a wide variety of cuisines from the shores of North Africa, with a Mediterranean flair, to the regional Khoisan dishes of the south. Because African flavors span many cultures, it’s important to narrow down the individual seasonings by region.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Flavor stews, breads and casseroles with popular North African seasonings heavy in garlic and oregano. In traditional Mediterranean style, toss fresh tomatoes, olives and whole grain pastas with sea salt and olive oil to satisfy the hungriest person at your table. Add aged shredded goat cheese to authenticate the dish.
2. Combine traditional Arab flavors with a French accent to reproduce the taste of West Africa. Featuring a savory blend of cayenne, black pepper, roasted gari, millet and cornmeal, these spices are frequently added to West African stews and dipping sauces. Peanut oil is widely used to fry vegetables, including hot peppers, groundnuts, and tomatoes. Serve seafood with boiled plantain for a taste of West Africa.
3. Serve vegetables on your East African menu, where vegetarian dishes are common. Wide varieties of root vegetables, raw, boiled or mashed, include curry powder, hot pepper, mint and coconut. Spicy vegetable stews are a daily staple, served with flat breads and rice. Add the traditional seasonings of East Africa to spice up healthy cornmeal-based gruels.
4. Add a good dash of curry to grilled lamb for an authentic South African entrée. Heavily influenced by Indonesian and Malaysian seasoning, the flavors of South Africa feature savory dishes spiced with saffron, cumin, curry and onion. Coconut milk imparts a rich sweet taste to meat casseroles and desserts, alike. Add ginger and turmeric to relishes and condiments to serve as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

Tips & Warnings

• Combine your own specialty blends of dry African seasonings from each geographical area of the African continent and store in the refrigerator for easy access.