Photo of Ivy, author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

Ivy is the researcher and writer behind The African Gourmet, blending African food, history, and cultural storytelling. Her archive work is cited by universities, Wikipedia, major news outlets, and global food writers.

View citations →

Start Your African Journey

From political insights through food to traditional wisdom and modern solutions - explore Africa's depth.

Fish Sorrel Recipe

Explore More Content

📁 African food

Popular in This Category

Sorrel Fish
Fishing for a new fish recipe try sorrel fish recipe that has a lemony taste.


Sorrel
The description of Sierra Leone sour sour or fish sorrel stew is accurate because the sorrel leaves have a very intense lemon flavor.


How to make Fish Sorrel 

By
African food recipe
A very common dish in Sierra Leone is fufu served with sour sour, also known as sorrel, a wild leafy vegetable with a tart flavor.
Sierra Leone fish sorrel is tangy and loaded with sorrel vegetables. Sour sour or fishy sorrel has a very intense lemon flavor..

Sorrel Fish Recipe

Serves 4

African food
Stew
Nutrition facts: 110 calories, 1 gram fat

Ingredients
1 bunch of sorrel leaves, washed and chopped
3 dry any type of fish
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Water to cover
Salt and pepper to your liking


Directions
Remove the stalks from the sorrel. Wash the leaves and cook them with a little water, changing the water a few times to help reduce the sourness. Pound the cooked sorrel into a paste, and squeeze out excess liquid. Put the fish in a pot and cover with water. Add the sorrel and season with salt and pepper before bringing to a boil and cooking for 5-10 minutes. Serve with fufu.

Sorrel plant

Sorrel plant uses: There are several uses of sorrel in the preparation of food including a garnish, a tart flavoring agent, a salad green, and a curdling agent for cheese. The leaves have a lemony, tangy or nicely tart flavor. Blueberry farmers are familiar with the weed because it thrives in the same conditions under which blueberries are cultivated.

Scientific name: Rumex acetosella

Alternative uses: In Kenya among the Marakwet Community sorrel is known as kibongbong and is a perennial herbaceous plant whose tubers are used to treat hypertension, and diabetes.

The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
Understanding Africa through the stories our food tells • Since 2006

Africa Worldwide: Top Reads

Africa × World: Editor's Picks

Cross-continental food, science, history, and cultural exchanges from the archive

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.