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A street market in Senegal.
BEEF DIBI
AKARA BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS
AFRICAN VEGETABLE AND PEANUT STEW
Dibi is a Senegalese dish traditionally made with lamb and usually sold by street vendors and served in a brown paper bag to catch all the delicious drip- pings. It’s also called Afra in other parts of Africa, like Guinea and Gambia. The meat is cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with a mustard-based rub be- fore grilling. Since Senegal is a former French colony, you will often see Dibi served on a baguette as a sandwich.
A West African version of hushpuppies crossed with beignets, these fritters are savory, spicy and fluffy inside with a crunchy exterior. These are traditional- ly a breakfast item, but would fit the bill for an appetizer as well. They’re known as akla in Ghana, Kosai in Cameroon and Bean Akara in Sierra Leone, and have also made their way to Brazil, as acaraje, where they’re sliced open and stuffed with avocado or shrimp.
This could be the dish most Americans have tried as an intro to West African cuisine. Also known as Maafe, sauce d’arachide or tigadeguena, this stew is a cozy staple that’s easy for American chefs to make in one pot for a flavor- ful—and easily vegan—dish. In Sene- gal, it’s served family-style, over rice or couscous. Its cultural cousins include Filipino Chicken Adobo and Hungarian Chicken Paprikash.
Q3 2024
FSD QUARTERLY
29
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