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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.

Christmas & New Year in Africa

FOOD PROVERBS

Being homosexual in certain African countries means your relationship is illegal, gay-rights activism is unlawful, and prison sentences or worse could be lawfully carried-out by family, neighbors, the police and even strangers.

Gay Pride Picnic 2013 Johannesburg South Africa

Illegal Love Being Gay in Africa

Being Gay in Africa, the severe suppression on homosexual relationships is not restricted to Nigeria, The Gambia, Uganda, and Kenya. Numerous African countries criminalize homosexual relationships, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors to death sentences. 

Currently, there are two countries in Africa where being homosexual could legally carry a death sentence. One African country allows legal same-sex marriages and civil unions, South Africa but life is still difficult if you are gay

Junior Mayema was enrolled in law school and hiding his sexual orientation in his hometown Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 

Mayema’s mother publicly denounced him as evil and tried to kill him plotting to inject him with gasoline. Heavyhearted Mayema decided to seek asylum in South Africa since he was facing a daily threat from his family and the fact homosexuality is a crime in DRC.

An activist at Uganda's first gay pride parade in Kampala this August. Photograph: Rachel Adams/EPA

Mayema appeared in the film From the Same Soil that documented refugees in Cape Town and experiences being openly gay. However, his new life in South Africa was full of disappointments since he was not accepted as being openly gay. 

When Mayema turned to the police for help, the police only offered physical and verbal abuse. Mayema left Cape Town November 2014 to start a new life in the San Francisco California USA thanks to the help of The UN Refugee Agency and thousands of well-wishers.

South African traditional gay wedding

Homosexual acts are illegal in Kenya, however Kenyan author, journalist and winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2002, Binyavanga Wainaina has come out to say he is gay.

Wainaina says he knew he was homosexual since he was five years old and part of his reason for coming out was the Nigerian anti-gay law and the senseless violence surrounding the new law.

Wainaina says he was also inspired to come out by the deaths of his father and a gay friend. He announced in an essay that he called “the lost chapter” of his memoir, that he was gay. Wainaina ends his “the lost chapter”
I am five when I close my self into a vague happiness that asks for nothing much from anybody. Absent-minded. Sweet. I am grateful for all love. I give it more than I receive it, often. I can be selfish. I masturbate a lot, and never allow myself to crack and grow my heart. I touch no men. I read books. I love my dad so much, my heart is learning to stretch. I am a homosexual.

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

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  3. About African Healers and Witchdoctors
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  6. About African Night Running


Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=
African Quilt Motifs & Their Meanings

African Quilt Motifs & Their Meanings

Traditional African textile motifs convey history, spirituality, and identity

African quilt motifs carry deep cultural significance, with patterns often conveying proverbs, historical events, social status, and spiritual beliefs.

The tradition of transforming African textiles into meaningful works of art extends beyond fashion. In the quilting communities of Liberia and Sierra Leone, artisans bow their heads in a similar act of devotion, piecing together vibrant fabrics to create quilts that tell stories, offer prayers, and warm families.

Explore the deep cultural significance and meditative process behind these stunning textile artworks in our feature, The Sacred Stitch: Finding Prayer and Purpose in the Quilting Traditions of Liberia and Sierra Leone. These designs inspire quilters worldwide, blending traditional symbolism with modern artistry. Each pattern tells a story.

Adinkra Symbols

Ghana

Adinkra symbol textile example

Visual expressions of Akan philosophy; each has a proverb.

Meaning:

Examples: Sankofa (return & learn), Gye Nyame (God’s supremacy).

Bogolanfini (Mud Cloth)

Mali

Bogolanfini mudcloth textile example

Hand-dyed with mud; geometric storytelling.

Meaning:

Zigzags = life path; circles = unity or universe.

Kente Patterns

Ghana

Kente textile example

Strip-woven cloth; specific color + pattern meanings.

Meaning:

Gold = royalty; green = growth; blue = peace.

Ndebele Geometrics

South Africa / Zimbabwe

Ndebele geometric textile example

Bold geometrics used in house + textile design.

Meaning:

Triangles may relate to marriage + status.

Yoruba Adire

Nigeria

Adire indigo textile example

Indigo resist-dye techniques.

Meaning:

Olokun = sea deity; symbols about protection + unity.

Baoulรฉ Weaving

Cรดte d'Ivoire

Baoule strip-woven textile example

Strip-woven cloth for ceremonial use.

Meaning:

Zigzags = rivers or serpents; diamonds = pangolin scales.

Kuba Raffia

DR Congo

Kuba raffia textile example

Embroidery + appliquรฉ from raffia fibers.

Meaning:

Python skin + leopard spots = protection + prestige.

Fulani Fire Blankets

West Africa

Fulani wedding blanket textile example

Embroidered ceremonial blankets.

Meaning:

Circular motifs = unity; zigzags = nomadic journey.

Tuareg Blue

Sahara

Tuareg or Sahara blue motif textile example

Vibrant blue patterns dyed to cloth.

Meaning:

The color of the Sahara, protection during travel; stars = navigation.

Zulu Beadwork

South Africa

Zulu beadwork textile example

Beaded geometrics & messaging.

Meaning:

Blue = faithfulness; green = contentment.

African quilt motifs preserve cultural identity and spiritual meaning.
African quilt motifs preserve cultural identity and spiritual meaning

How the cunning leopard got his spots is a marvelous African folktale about the origin of his spotted leopard skin.

Animals adapt to many landscapes—from deserts to wetlands—and shape local identity. Continue exploring African animal culture.

How Leopard Got His Spots African Folktale

As the elders say, at one time, the Leopard was colored like a lion, and he had no dark markings; but he was pursued by Akiti, the renowned hunter, and feared that he might be slain.

How Leopard Got His Spots African Folktale

To avoid this he ate the roots of a certain magic plant, which had the effect of making him invulnerable to any of the hunter’s weapons.

Soon afterwards, Akiti saw him as he slipped through the dense undergrowth of the forest, but though he shot his poisoned arrows, Leopard escaped.

But where each arrow struck him, there appeared a dark mark, and now, though hunters still pursue him, he is rarely caught, but his body is covered with the marks of the arrows, so that as he goes among the trees he looks exactly like the mingling of the sun and shadow. 

Did you know? Leopards are the smallest of the four big cats and are native to 35 African countries. The four big cats of the world are the tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard.

More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

  1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
  2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
  3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
  4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
  5. Mighty Little Hedgehog

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

The Tomato is a Popular Food in Rwanda Africa

Tomato sauce is the basis for so many Rwandan African food dishes such as pasta, goat, chicken and vegetables. Tomatoes are commonly grown in Rwanda.

In Rwanda, where nearly 70 percent of women are engaged in agriculture, tomato farming is big business. Women farmers grow tomatoes, beetroots, carrots, cabbages and bell peppers which are sold locally. 

Tomato sauce is the basis for so many Rwandan African food dishes such as pasta, goat, chicken and vegetables. Here is a delicious basic tomato sauce recipe. Learn how to make this tomato sauce recipe the quick and easy way. 

Growing tomatoes in Nyaruguru district in southern Rwanda
Growing tomatoes in Nyaruguru district in southern Rwanda

Delicious ripe tomato sauce can be enjoyed with any kind of dish and if you are a home gardener, ripe tomato sauce is a great way to use your tomatoes and enjoy all year long.

The tomato sauce can be dressed up with vegetables, and chicken. Tomatoes are the most commonly grown vegetable in Rwanda where all tomato harvesting is done by hand. Also in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria are the two top producing African countries for tomato farming and tomato sauce recipes are everywhere.

Spiced-Ripe-Tomato-Chutney

The Tomato is a Popular Food in Rwanda Africa

Basic tomato sauce recipe from Central Rwanda

Ingredients 
7 large ripe tomatoes chopped 
1/4 cup white vinegar 
1 tablespoon white sugar 
2 teaspoons grated ginger 
3 cloves garlic minced 
1 teaspoon allspice 

Directions 
Add all ingredients together and simmer 30 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly pour sauce into a 2-quart jar. Allow cooling on the counter.

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

  1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
  2. Frikkadelle an Afrikaner dish of meatballs
  3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
  4. Chadian Steamed Honey Cassava Buns
  5. Cameroon Smoked Bonga Fish Stew

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=
Ugandan fruit market display with apples and bananas against a rural backdrop.

Fruit in Uganda: How a Simple Shopping Trip Explains African Politics

Uganda grows apples, bananas, pineapples, passion fruit, mangoes, watermelons, jackfruit, papayas, grapefruits, lemons, and limes—an entire basket of abundance shaped by soil, climate, and policy. In Uganda, even fruit tells a political story.

Shopping for Fruit in Uganda Africa

Apples

Look for firm, crisp apples with strong color. Mealy or overly soft apples are past their prime. Uganda’s apple boom was once considered impossible, but now farmers grow millions— a reminder that seed access and nursery licensing are deeply political decisions.

Grapefruit

Choose fruits that feel heavy and have thin skin. Rough or wrinkled skin signals more rind and less pulp. Grapefruit thrives where irrigation is consistent—yet water access in rural Uganda is shaped by district budgets, private investment, and the broader politics of African farming .

Kiwifruit

Avoid kiwi with shriveling, mold, or excessive softness. Choose plump fruit that yields gently when ripe. Imported seeds, supermarket demand, and global pricing shape what appears in Ugandan markets—agriculture influenced as much by global trade as by local soil.

Lemons

Pick lemons with bright yellow skin, slight gloss, and firmness. Pale lemons are more acidic. Colonial citrus policies once forced African farmers to grow fruit for export instead of local use. Those economic patterns still influence today’s markets and supply chains.

Cantaloupes

A ripe cantaloupe shows a yellowish rind, sweet aroma, and gentle softness at the blossom end. Melon cultivation reflects land rights—especially the ability of women farmers to own land and invest long-term. A sweet melon is also a sign of stable land tenure.

Watermelons

Look for smooth skin, rounded ends, and a yellow underside. Transporting melons across Uganda requires navigating fuel prices, road quality, and market taxation. A sweet watermelon must survive more than farming—it must survive bureaucracy.

The Politics Beneath Uganda’s Soil

Uganda’s loam soil is famously fertile—soft, nutrient-rich, moisture-retentive. But soil alone does not feed a nation. Land rights, market access, and national policy determine who benefits from that fertility. For more on continental geology, see volcanic African soils.

Fresh apples grown in Uganda displayed for sale.

Lake Victoria’s Role in Uganda’s Food Life

Lake Victoria—the world’s largest tropical lake—touches Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. It irrigates fields, shapes microclimates, and drives regional trade. Its water is shared, negotiated, and regulated, making it a political force in agriculture. Learn more about regional water systems in the overview of the African Great Lakes .

African apple harvest from Morocco piled in baskets.
Apple varieties grown in Morocco, Africa’s leading apple producer.

Why Fruit in Uganda Explains Politics

On the surface, this is a guide to choosing apples, lemons, melons, and kiwi. But beneath every fruit is a story of colonial legacies, land struggles, water rights, trade, farming policy, and geography. In Africa, food is never just food—it is policy, economics, and history wrapped in a peel.

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet logo.

Why Women Have Long Hair is a wonderful African folktale about loving yourself inside and out.

Read with your child and share wonderful African folktales, children enjoy listening to many types of African folktales learning from the wisdom and rich tradition of African storytelling.

Traditional hair style from Eritrea

Why Women Have Long Hair African Folktale

Two women quarreled, and one of them went out secretly at night and dug a deep pit in the middle of the path leading from her enemy’s house to the village well.

Early next morning, when all were going to the well for water with jars balanced on their heads, this woman fell into the pit and cried loudly for help.

Her friends ran to her and, seizing her by the hair, began to pull her out of the pit. To their surprise, her hair stretched as they pulled, and by the time she was safely on the path, her hair was as long as a man’s arm.

This made her very much ashamed, and she ran away and hid.

But after a while, she realized that her long hair was beautiful, and then she felt very proud and scorned all the short-haired women, jeering at them.

When they saw this, they were consumed with jealousy and began to be ashamed of their short hair. “We have men’s hair,” they said to one another. “How beautiful it would be to have long hair!”

So one by one they jumped into the pit and their friends pulled them out by the hair.

And in this way, they, and all women after them had long hair.


More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

  1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
  2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
  3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
  4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
  5. Mighty Little Hedgehog

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

African Author Albert Chinualumogu Achebe (pronounced CHIN-you-ah Ah-CHAY-bay) the Igbo author of Things Fall Apart was born on Nov. 16, 1930, in Ogidi Nigeria in an Ibo village. Chinua Achebe passed away March 21, 2013 in Boston.

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Why you should know the writer Chinua Achebe writer of Things Fall Apart.

Chinua Achebe is one of Africa's greatest novelists.

Chinua Achebe, after graduating from college in 1953, Achebe moved to London, where he worked for the BBC in London where he hand wrote “Things Fall Apart”. The original hand written manuscript was lost by a London typing service but was discovered months later.
Chinua Achebe “Things Fall Apart”
Born: Nov 16, 1930 Ogidi, Anambra Died: March 21, 2013 Boston

In 1958, his groundbreaking novel Things Fall Apart was published. It went on to sell more than 12 million copies and translated into more than 50 languages. The groundbreaking novel centers on the cultural clash between native African culture and the traditional white culture of missionaries and the colonial government in Nigeria.

Written in 1958, Things Fall Apart set in the late 19th century tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a strong man of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the ancient conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world.  

Okonkwo, aspires to be everything his father was not: industrious, serious, successful, respected. Nevertheless, no matter how hard this determined farmer works, fate or the forces of nature seem to conspire against him.

The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. The changes seem subtle at first, but slowly the social fabric of the village begins to fall apart.  

These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul. Things Fall Apart traces the growing friction between village leaders and Europeans determined to save the heathen souls of Africa.

  Black African man against orange background

From 1972 to 1988, Achebe did not write due to emotional trauma that lingered after the Nigerian Civil war. “The novel seemed like a frivolous thing to be doing,” he told The Washington Post in 1988.  In 1990, Achebe was in a car accident in Nigeria that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. He taught at Bard College for 15 years, and then in 2009, he joined the faculty of Brown University as professor of Africana Studies. Achebe passed away March 21, 2013 in Boston.

Did you know? Chinua Achebe first novel, “Things Fall Apart” was published in 1958, when he was 28.

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=
There are many black rural areas in South Africa where access to school remains problematic and children wade through rivers and cross dangerous roads.
School children in South Africa walk long distances to and from school
School children in South Africa walk long distances to and from school.

For South African school children walking to school before and after apartheid, things have changed little.

In South Africa, 64.8% of students walk to school, while 9.5% travel by private car and 6.6% use a taxi, according to last year's General Household Survey conducted by the government's national statistical service Statistics South Africa.

The survey also showed that 11.1% use a vehicle hired by a group of parents, 3.6% use a bus, 2.8% use a bus provided by the school or government, 0.9% use a bicycle or motorcycle to get to school, and 0.5% use a train.

There are still a number of primarily black rural areas in South Africa where physical access to school remains extremely problematic and children may be forced to wade through rivers, cross dangerous roads or engage in other unsafe travel.

School in South Africa

It's also critical to understand the deep inequalities that persist in South African schooling, which can be traced back to apartheid-era policy and practice. The inequalities have led to schools in historically white areas having certain resources that those in historically black areas lacked access to. So children may travel far and wide to attend schools that provide a perceived higher quality of education due to those resources, but having the means to travel is a serious problem.

The costs of children attending schools located far from home are extensive: long travel times, expensive travel arrangements, difficulty in fully engaging in extracurricular activities due to their commute, the difficulty for parents in engaging directly with the school, attending a school that may be unwelcoming on the grounds of race group, culture or language and so on.

However, for many black South African families who do not live close to high-quality public schooling options, this type of commute may well be their best option in ensuring transportation for their children.

One South African economist said, "I attended primary school during the last years of apartheid," she added. "As a white child, I was privileged to attend an excellent public school less than a kilometer from home. Consequently, I usually took a quick and relatively safe unaccompanied walk to school." Poverty and inequality remain harsh determinants, preventing so many children from accessing the quality basic education that they need.


Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

  1. Historical African Country Name
  2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
  3. How many countries does Africa have?
  4. Roots of Africanized Christianity Spiritual Songs
  5. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
  6. Awesome Kenyan Woman
  7. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone

  8. African Kente Cloth Facts
  9. Accra the Ghanaian Capital Ultimate Mall Experience


Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

In Tanzania, there have been ongoing efforts to improve girls' education and increase their access to schooling. Despite progress in recent years, girls in Tanzania still face significant barriers to education, including poverty, cultural beliefs, early marriage, and gender-based violence.

Girls in Tanzania Education

However, in some parts of Tanzania, there is a cultural bias that favors boys over girls, particularly when it comes to access to education and other opportunities. This can lead to girls being undervalued and discouraged from pursuing their goals and aspirations.

A Look at Girls' Education in Tanzania Today.

Girls in Tanzania face significant challenges in accessing education, with only 44% of girls completing primary school and just 3% completing secondary school.

Poverty is a major barrier to education, with many families unable to afford school fees, uniforms, and other related expenses.

In Tanzania, primary education is free and compulsory for all children aged 7-13 years old. However, there are still some costs associated with education, including school uniforms, books, and supplies, which can be a barrier for families who struggle with poverty.

In addition, secondary education in Tanzania is not free, and families are required to pay fees to cover the cost of tuition, books, and other related expenses. The cost of secondary education can vary depending on the school and location, but on average, fees can range from around $150 to $500 per year.

Tanzania has a GDP per capita of $1,095 in 2020. Also Tanzania's Human Development Index (HDI) was 0.528 in 2020, which ranked it 162nd out of 189 countries. Tanzania's low GDP and HDI score reflects the country's ongoing challenges related to poverty, access to basic services, education, and inequality. 

Girls who drop out of school may be at increased risk of early marriage and pregnancy, which can limit their opportunities for further education and can have negative health consequences for both them and their children.

Without a high school education, many girls in Tanzania may struggle to find formal employment or may be limited to low-paying jobs. This can make it difficult for them to support themselves and their families and can contribute to poverty and inequality.

Girls who drop out of school may face social stigma and discrimination, particularly if they become pregnant or marry at a young age. This can impact their relationships, their mental health, and their ability to fully participate in their communities.

In some parts of Tanzania, there is a cultural bias that favors boys over girls, particularly when it comes to access to education and other opportunities. This can lead to girls being undervalued and discouraged from pursuing their goals and aspirations. 

Despite efforts to make education more affordable, many families in Tanzania still struggle to pay for school fees and related expenses. This has led to some children being unable to attend school or dropping out of school due to financial constraints.

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=
A truly delicious Ghanaian Catfish Stew made in one-pot.

Catfish are a bottom-dwelling freshwater fish with barbels that look a lot like whiskers but are sensory organs around the catfish mouth. Most of the meat from catfish is found around the belly. There is a large piece of meat on the belly of the catfish so larger the fish the more meat to make catfish stew.


Fish is the cheapest source of animal protein in Africa. Ghana’s fisheries provide 65% of the countries protein requirements, and support the livelihoods of almost 10% of Ghana’s population. 

Ghanaian Catfish with Stewed Tomatoes

Ghanaian Catfish with Stewed Tomatoes
African Recipes by

Easy Ghanaian catfish stewed with tomatoes is healthy, an inexpensive recipe to make and incredibly delicious. 

Prep time: Cook time: Total time:

Ingredients
4 medium sized catfish fillets
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups vegetable stock
1 medium chopped onion
1 medium chopped red pepper
4 medium chopped tomatoes

Directions

Sautรฉ filleted catfish in olive oil with the spices. When fish is half cooked slowly add vegetable stock, chopped onion, a red pepper, and tomatoes. Cook on slow for 30 minutes and serve with soft bread.



Read more facts and food recipes about Africa

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Easy Vegetarian Sweet Potato Curry Soup
Brinjal and Eggplant are two different words that refer to the same fruit.
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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

Marake Kaloune or stewed fish in sauce, East African one pot dinner ready in 30-minutes.

Marake Kaloune or stewed fish in sauce, East African one pot dinner ready in 30-minutes.
Marake Kaloune East African Dinner 

East African Fish Recipe Marake Kaloune 

East African Dinner in 30-minutes

Ingredients

2 large firm fresh cod fish fillets
1 large potato, unpeeled and sliced
2 yellow onions diced
1 cup okra, chopped
1 eggplant, peeled and diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 tablespoon diced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add potatoes, onions, okra, tomatoes, parsley, and eggplant in a large pot with a lid. Mix tamarind paste and seasoning in a little water and pour over vegetables. Add the fish on top and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

About Sustainable Seafood

We all share the same oceans, keep our oceans healthy and choose sustainable seafood. Sustainable seafood is seafood that is either caught or farmed in ways that consider the long-term vitality of harvested species and the well-being of the oceans. Sustainable seafood is also the most environmentally efficient source of protein on the planet. In some parts of the world both wild-caught and farmed fish and shellfish are managed under a system of enforced environmentally responsible practices. Both wild-capture and farmed fish are essential for ensuring sustainable supplies of seafood are available for our nation and the world.


Cod Fish Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Servings
1
Serving weight
100 g
Calories
82
Protein
17.81 g
Fat, total
0.67 g
Saturated fatty acids, total
0.131 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Sugars, total
0 g
Fiber, total dietary
0 g
Cholesterol
43 mg
Selenium
33.1 mcg
Sodium
54 mg


Easy Nigerian Chicken Palm Oil Stew

Nigerian Stew is easy to make, learn how to cook the tastiest Nigerian stew for your family.


Easy Nigerian Chicken Palm Oil Stew
Nigerian Stew is made from a blended mix of peppers, tomatoes, and onions and with Nigeria's famous palm oil. This tasty and aromatic stew is everyone's favorite in Nigeria and around the world.

Easy Nigerian Chicken Palm Oil Stew

Yields 3-4 servings

 Ingredients

2 pounds chicken cut into small pieces
1 large yam cut into bite-size pieces
2 large chopped tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
1 chopped yellow onion
1 chopped hot pepper
Black pepper and salt to taste
3 tablespoons palm oil
2 cups white rice

Directions

Heat oil brown onions. Add all ingredients into a large pot cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with bread.

Quick facts about palm oil

African palm oil aka macaw-fat is the world’s most popular and most purchased vegetable oil making up about 35 percent of the total international trade in cooking oils.

The Palm oil tree has many uses and no part of the tree goes to waste. The tree is used to make world-famous palm wine and local medicines. The leaves may also be used to make thatches, which are often used as roofing material in certain areas.

The palm oil tree is indigenous to West Africa, naturally occurring along the 300-mile coastline strip from the Gambia to Angola. Palm oil manufacturing in West Africa has two elementary types.

The first, palm oil growing in wild grooves and second palm oil groves that are planted on plantations and small farms. Sustainability in the palm oil industry and emphasizing that producers only source palm oil has been produced in an ecological way is a major issue in the industry.
 Chic African Culture The African Gourmet Logo
African Countries and IMF Dates of Membership Nations labeled as developed currently control approximately 52.81% of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) voting strength while having less than one-fourth of the world population by 2050. Each member country has 250 basic votes plus 1 additional vote for each share of capital equivalent to US $100,000 subscribed.

International Monetary Fund's Christine Lagarde, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Senate Leader David Mark in December 19, 2011 at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Nigeria.
IMF in Nigeria 2011

About The World Bank and International Monetary Fund voting system in Africa.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund voting system is complex at best where the number of people in a country does not equal proportional representation of the average person.

Established in 1944, The World Bank began operations in 1946 headquartered in Washington, D.C. Lead by Jim Yong Kim since 2012, the Board of Executive Directors elects the President for a five-year, renewable term. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank differ from most public international organizations because they follow a weighted voting system.

Votes are held rarely, but are very important with the election of executive directors, special majorities, and adoption of decisions, to adjust quotas, establish a council, and allocate Special Drawing Rights.

The IMF initial assigning of votes is based on quotas related to economic criteria. These quotas or measures are based upon an exceedingly complex formula that takes into account relative economic strength factors of countries comparable in size and population with the gross domestic product, external reserves, and diversity of exports.

The IMF gives each country 250 basic votes, with a weighted voting of one additional vote for each part of a nation's economic quota or measure equivalent to US$100,000 Special Drawing Rights international reserve asset which was created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement a member country official reserves. The outcome of the economic formula given by the IMF is used to determine the number of shares allotted to each new member country of the bank.

The World Bank has a weighted voting system similar to the IMF. Each member has 250 basic votes plus 1 additional vote for each share of capital equivalent to US $100,000 subscribed. The World Bank based each member's quota on IMF quotas.

Many developing countries interests are not sufficiently voiced despite the April 2010 increase in voting power for developing countries, to 47.19% for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). Since the World Bank bases each member's quota on IMF quotas a change in the IMF quotas would better suit actual transform.

A better solution could be to enlarge the executive boards allowing more representatives of the developing countries. This will allow a louder voice to be heard from the developing countries throughout the world. The developed nations currently control approximately 52.81% of the voting strength while having less than one-fourth of the world population by 2050.

This results in disproportionate representation that is not truly in the interest of the developing countries. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) voting power of African member countries, each country is it's own voting entity unless in a voluntary strategic voting group with other members is formed.

The IMF is a quota-based institution. Quotas are the building blocks of the IMF’s financial and governance structure. An individual member country’s quota broadly reflects its relative position in the world economy. Quotas are denominated in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), the IMF’s unit of account.

The International Monetary Fund List of Member in Africa

Original members of the International Monetary Fund are Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa who signed the Articles of Agreement by December 31, 1945.

Simple list of African Countries and IMF Effective Date of Membership

Algeria 9/26/1963
Angola 9/19/1989
Benin 7/10/1963
Botswana 7/24/1968
Burkina Faso 5/2/1963
Burundi 9/28/1963
Cameroon 7/10/1963
Cape Verde 11/20/1978
Central African Republic 7/10/1963
Chad 7/10/1963
Cรดte d'Ivoire 3/11/1963
Democratic Republic of the Congo 9/28/1963
Djibouti 12/29/1978
Egypt 12/27/1945
Equatorial Guinea 12/22/1969
Eritrea 7/6/1994
Eswatini (former Swaziland) 9/22/1969
Ethiopia 12/27/1945
Gabon 9/10/1963
Ghana 9/20/1957
Guinea 9/28/1963
Guinea-Bissau 3/24/1977
Kenya 2/3/1964
Lesotho 7/25/1968
Liberia 3/28/1962
Libya 9/17/1958
Madagascar 9/25/1963
Malawi 7/19/1965
Mali 9/27/1963
Mauritania 9/10/1963
Mauritius 9/23/1968
Morocco 4/25/1958
Mozambique 9/24/1984
Namibia 9/25/1990
Niger 4/24/1963
Nigeria 3/30/1961
Republic of Congo 7/10/1963
Rwanda 9/30/1963
Sรฃo Tomรฉ and Prรญncipe 9/30/1977
Senegal 8/31/1962
Seychelles 6/30/1977
Sierra Leone 9/10/1962
Somalia 8/31/1962
South Africa 12/27/1945
South Sudan 4/18/2012
Sudan 9/5/1957
Tanzania 9/10/1962
The Gambia 9/21/1967
Togo 8/1/1962
Tunisia 4/14/1958
Uganda 9/27/1963
Zambia 9/23/1965
Zimbabwe 9/29/1980

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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

African Recipes Organized by Meal Time

African Drinks & Beverages

Snacks & Appetizers

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Desserts

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.

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

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

Cited and trusted by leading institutions:
Wikipedia
Emory University African Studies
University of Kansas
Cornell University SRI Program (Madagascar resource)

Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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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.

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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.