Central African Recipes

Central African cooking draws on the forests of the south and the savannas of the north. Cassava is the main starch, eaten as gozo, a smooth stretchy paste, or as pounded fufu, and its leaves are cooked into stews. Plantains, yams and maize add variety. Red palm oil and palm nut sauce give many dishes their orange color, while ground peanuts thicken sauces and are shaped into meatballs. Fish from the Oubangui River and other waters is grilled, smoked or wrapped in leaves for maboké. Meat includes beef, goat and chicken, and in the forest, wild game, caterpillars and other insects are also eaten in season. In the north, millet, sorghum and hibiscus drinks reflect Sahel traditions. Streets stalls sell fried bread called makara and grilled skewers. Sweet tea and coffee, often with evaporated milk, are drunk daily, and palm wine and sorghum beer are brewed locally. Meals are shared and eaten by hand.

Staple ingredients

• cassava and cassava leaves
• plantains
• red palm oil
• peanuts
• river fish
• okra
• maize
• chili

• Main Dishes 4
• Snacks 1

Main Dishes

• Gozo with Smoked Fish Tomato Sauce (Central African Cassava Paste)CF1 h 5 minMedium
• Kanda ti Nyama (Central African Spicy Beef and Peanut Meatballs)CF1 h 15 minEasy
• Maboké (Central African Fish Grilled in Leaves)CF1 h 10 minMedium
• Poulet Moambé (Central African Chicken in Palm Nut Sauce)CF1 h 45 minEasy

Snacks

• Makara (Central African Fried Bread)CF55 minEasy