Africa is a region known for its diverse culture and nomadic lifestyle. Its lively nature and unique cuisines bring people together.
In distinguished parts of the country, people will find different tastes and varieties that serve travellers with delicious plating.
Where Africa is in run to vanish its identity of animal eating or just a frog eating nation, renowned publications like TasteAtlas who recognize different and delicious unique foods or dishes of various regions, identifies the top-100 dishes of Africa in its latest March edition.
TasteAtlas is an experiential travel online publication that guides people for traditional food. The food guide, every month presents a collection of authentic recipes and food critic reviews and provides a research-based catalogue of popular ingredients and dishes.
Alike road atlas, the TasteAtlas provides a map track to the world travellers that considers the traditional dishes and authentic restaurants. The journal also showcases an interactive global food map, with dish icons of their respective regions.
The magazine in its edition contains over 10,000 dishes, drinks and ingredients along with more than 9000 restaurants.
In its march edition published on March 16, 2024 TasteAtlas has considered the dishes Rechta, Makroud el louse, Maakouda, Garantita, Chorba beida, Kunafah, Shawarma, Mechouia Salad, Tibs and Chakhchoukha.
Rechta
It is a famous dish of Algeria which is prepared with the key ingredients semolina, chickpeas, potatoes, onion, garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon, turnips, zucchini and chicken or lamb pieces.
All these are added to recta noodles and plated in a large dish dressed with marga sauce. The dish is served especially during festive events such as Eid, Ramadan and Ashura.
Makroud el louse
These are popular Algerian cookies which are baked without flour and include the ingredients such as almonds, eggs, sugar and an added flavour of orange flower water. After baking, the cookies are tossed in powdered sugar and are completely given a coating of it.
The cookies taste good when they just melt in your mouth and are served best with a cup of tea or coffee on the side.
Maakouda
It is a special dish of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Commonly similar to potato fritters, Maakouda is made by mixing potatoes with parsley, garlic, wheatflour, salt and blackpepper, and then fried in oil. Instead of potatoes, Maakouda can be stuffed with meat, tuna or cheese also.
Garantita
The popular street food of Algeria, Garantita includes the items such as chickpeas, eggs, cumin, salt, blackpepper and edible vegetable oil. It is consumed as a snack and is prepared just as cake and tart.
Garantita is served hot dressed with harissa and cumin. The street snack is derived from the Spanish caliantetorta.
Chorba beida
It is a kind of chicken soup which is very famous in Algeria. Made with, (definitely) chicken, chickpeas, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, cinnamon and butter.
Served with additional seasonings, the beida is served with chicken pieces until they get brow and vegetables that are cooked until they are soften. Chorba beida is served with the crusty bread on its side.
Kunafah
The sweet pastry served in Egypt is baked, alkali, butter, cream, sugar, pistachios, lemon, rice flour and milk as the main ingredients.
The Kunafah is identified when it consists of two crunchy layers of shredded and buttered kataifi or knefe dough, which is filled with a luscious cheese cream which is mainly flavoured with orange zest and cardamom.
Orange zest and cardamom are completely drenched in a sugar syrup infused with lemon juice and orange blossom water. The result is a cheese-filled pastry dressed with pistachios.
Shawarma
It is a street food of Egypt which is made with Pita Bread or lavash, which is stuffed with lamb, beef or chicken, mixed with vegetables, cinnamon, cloves and other additional spices.
Shawarma is a marinated and spit-roasted dish which originates from the era of the Ottoman Empire.
Mechouia Salad
The Salad is popular in Tunisia, made with commonly available ingredients such as olive oil, black pepper, salt, egg, garlic, caraway seed, pepper, onion and tomatoes. The recipe begins with grilling the veggies and drizzling them with oil, after which its garnished with boiled eggs, olives and tuna.
Tibs
Stir-fry dish served in Ethiopia contains meat and vegetables. The dish can be served by adding variety to it that ranges from mild to hot and contains a good amount of veggies. The dish is served on occasions such as festivals, or at any celebration.
Chakhchoukha
Chakhchoukha is a stew dish that is prepared with lamb, rougag, tomato, chickpeas, onion, cumin, rase el hanout, caraway, galangal, red chilli peppers and lavender.
Recalling the history, the dish was originally invented by the shepherds who needed a hearty meal when they came home on cold nights. The name of the dish is roughly translated to torn flatbread, which refers to the key ingredients of chakhcoukha.
Africa is really a very interesting place to visit as the more you explore the more you get to know it deeply. And whenever you get a chance never forget to try these recipes and let your tastebuds decide how you find it!