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NIGERIA MALAWI
It’s not easy pinning down a national favorite dish for The eyes of Malawians away from home may well fill with
Nigeria, because this is a vast country with many distinct tears when you say the word “chambo” to them — it’s the
regional cuisines. most popular and best-known fish found in Lake Malawi,
But one dish you shouldn’t leave Nigeria without eating and a great national favourite.
is jollof rice, a great favourite all over West Africa, and It’s served grilled along the lake shore, usually with nsima
one that is thought may be the origin of the Cajun (a stiff porridge very similar to South Africa’s pap and
dish jambalaya. Zimbabwe’s sadza) or with chips.
A simple, spicy one-pot dish comprising, at its most basic, A plate of chambo is not complete without ndiwo, a
rice, tomatoes, onions and pepper, it’s often served at delicious relish made of pumpkin or cassava leaves,
parties and other festive gatherings, along with other tomatoes and groundnut powder.
Nigerian favorites such as egusi soup (made with ground Both nsima and ndiwo are revered staple foods in
melon seeds and bitter leaf), fried plantains and pounded neighboring Zambia, along with I sashi, a dish of greens
yam (iyan or fufu). in a peanut sauce.
ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA
A heap of crisp-fried kapenta is the culinary highlight for Good venison can be sampled all over Southern Africa, but
many visitors to Zimbabwe. Namibians will insist that the very best gemsbok, kudu, zebra,
Kapenta, comprising two species of small freshwater fish warthog, ostrich and springbok is to be found at restaurants
native to Lake Tanganyika, were introduced to Lake Kariba and game lodges across their country.
and now are a much-loved source of protein for lakeside Namibian cuisine shows strong German and South African
populations of Zambia and Zimbabwe. influences, with traditional German delicacies such as
Like many African dishes, kapenta is often accompanied by sausages, cured meats, sauerkraut and Eisbein rubbing
a mountain of delicious maize porridge, known in Zimbabwe shoulders with South-African style potjiekos (a traditional
as sadza. Kapenta is available both dried and fresh, and is Afrikaner dish cooked slowly over hot coal), biltong (a
also stewed with tomatoes, onions and groundnut powder, form of dried, cured meat) and braaivleis (Afrikaans for
and served with fresh greens. “roasted meat”).
Don’t pick up a knife and fork to devour your kapenta: the Visit Joe’s Beer House in Windhoek, Am Weinberg also in
traditional way to eat this dish is to scoop up the sadza with Windhoek or Village Café in Swakopmund for delectable
your hand and to dip it or roll it in the accompanying fish Namibian cuisine.
and relishes.
AND YOU CAN SOON BE INDULGING IN THE CULINARY DELIGHTS THIS CONTINENT HAS TO OFFER.