🌿 Share this page

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.

Food History, Math and Science

Culinary Knowledge

Recipes are not a casual act, but culture, applied science and mathematics

African Culture & World Traditions

Harvest & Heritage
drinking water

How Old Is the Water You Drink?

From Ancient African Aquifers to Bottled Water
Aish, Beauty in a Cup

Aish

Traditions run deep
Mathematics of the Hunt

Mathematics of the Hunt

Geometry, probability, and the stars
African Food Pantry Staples Ogbono Seeds

African food pantry staples will prepare you for whatever the kitchen throws at you to make soups and sauces



African Food Pantry Staples Ogbono Seeds

When you want to thicken African soups and sauces, there are many ingredients. African bush mango seed is made up of nearly 65% oil, the seed is really more oil than seed. 

Gabon chocolate, dika paste bread or Ogbono seeds are pounded to a chocolate buttery paste as an African pantry essential ingredient used in thickening and flavoring African soup and sauce recipes.




African Gabon Chocolate, Dika Paste, Ogbono seeds Recipe

Gabon chocolate also known as dika paste bread photo
African Recipes by

Gabon chocolate, dika paste bread or Ogbono seeds are ground into a chocolate butter like paste to thicken African soups and sauces. 

Prep time: Cook time: Total time:


Ingredients

½ cup African mango dried seeds


Directions

Add all ingredients to a coffee grinder and pulse until mixed well into a paste. Store refrigerated in plastic wrap (treat like butter). Leftover seeds may be stored at room temperature for up to 8 months.
Ogbono from the African bush mango seed is made up of nearly 65% oil
Did you know?
The dika nut is a nut of the dika tree species Irvingia barteri native to western Africa principally used for food and cooking oil.


Cite The Source

Copy & Paste Citation

One click copies the full citation to your clipboard.

APA Style: Click button to generate
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

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 19 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 19 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 19-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.