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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

Turn leftover vegetables and herbs into this easy, quick African garden vegetable soup with plantain foufou on the side.

Garden Vegetable Soup with Plantain Foufou is an essential African food recipe to add to any cooks go-to recipe file. Use foufou to scoop up every delicious bit of flavor of the vegetable soup. 

Ladle up a bowl of The African Gourmet's Garden Vegetable Soup with a good pinch of plantain foufou.



Turn leftover vegetables and herbs into this easy, quick African garden vegetable soup with plantain foufou on the side.
Garden vegetables
Garden Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
1 large yam or sweet potato, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped fresh green beans
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cans (14-ounce size) low sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 pinch dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large stockpot, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-35 minutes or until yams or sweet potatoes are tender.


Easy Plantain Foufou

Ingredients:
3 green or yellow plantains
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Water for boiling

Directions:
In a large pot place the peeled and evenly cut plantains and cassava and cover with water.  Boil until soft about 20 minutes. Place the salt, flour, plantains, and cassava in a mixer and knead until the consistency of soft dough is achieved. Foufou should be much stiffer than mashed potatoes in texture.

How do you eat Foufou? Simply tear off a small piece of Foufou hold it with your fingers making a slight indentation to hold the food and scoop up a small portion bringing the food and tasty Foufou into your mouth and savoring the homemade taste.
Easy Plantain Foufou

Did you know?


How do you eat Foufou? Simply tear off a small piece of Foufou hold it with your fingers making a slight indentation to hold the food and scoop up a small portion bringing the food and tasty Foufou into your mouth and savoring the homemade taste.

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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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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.

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.

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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.