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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

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FOOD PROVERBS

African Food Proverbs

Culinary wisdom passed down through generations

African food sayings and proverb

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Culinary Wisdom
Meat stew representing animal wisdom

Honoring Animal: African Wisdom of Thankfulness

Gratitude
Diverse hands placing food on shared table

Bring Something to the Table

Community
Lemon varieties representing spice of life

6 African Proverbs That Will Spice Up Your Cooking

Transformation

Collard Greens African Food Recipe


Where do collard greens originate from; collard greens are not actually an ingenious African vegetable, they are a northern European green vegetable. The word collard is a corruption of the German kohlwort, meaning any cabbage with no head. Culture and food of Africa would not be complete without including the African food recipe Sukuma Wiki Collard Greens. In the African Great Lakes region and many parts of East Africa, sukuma wiki or collard greens is a common dish. Sukuma Wiki is a favorite Collard Greens dish to serve with any number of American and African dishes.

Fresh Collard Greens

20 minute Fresh Collard Greens African Food Recipe


Total time from start to finish 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds collard greens, chopped
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste

Directions
In a large pot, add oil heat on medium high then add onions sauté 2 minutes. Add greens and vegetable broth, stir well, cover and cook until greens are soft, 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt, cook covered 5 minutes.

Cooking for the village
Cooking for the village


More information about Africa and African people


Historical African Country Name
Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
How many countries does Africa have?

These fresh collard greens are already cooked in 20 minutes. Learn how to cook collard greens with our trusted recipe.


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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

African Recipes Organized by Meal Time

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Ivy, founder and author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

Ivy is the founder and lead writer of The African Gourmet. For over 19 years, she has been dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the rich culinary heritage and food stories from across the African continent.

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The African Gourmet is preserved as a cultural resource and is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives.

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Recipes as Revolution

Recipes as Revolution

When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

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African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

Working Hands of Africa

The labor and love that feeds a continent

Hands holding African fruit

African Culture & Traditions

Harvest & Heritage
Hands preparing fufu

How Fufu Explains Politics

Food & Power
Farming hands in Africa

Slow Food Disappearance

Farming & Tradition
Hands with plantains

The Universal Plantain

Cooking & Community

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.