4 Popular Vegan West African Dishes You Must Try - gwafuvegan
West African cuisine is known for its rich and diverse flavours, and there are many delicious vegan options to explore. I’ll be talking you through four popular vegan West African dishes that you should definitely try!
(Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-sliced-vegetable-2284166/)
The region of West Africa’s food is reflective of its cultural, historical, and agricultural influences and is known for its unique flavours and ingredients. The history of West African cuisine can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire, which flourished in the region from the 8th to the 16th centuries. These civilizations were known for their agricultural advancements, which allowed for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops, including millet, sorghum, and rice.
The blend of traditional and modern cooking techniques and the use of a wide variety of ingredients make it one of the most flavorful and diverse cuisines in the world. If you have never tried West African food, it is definitely worth exploring.
But did you know, many traditional West African dishes are naturally vegan or can be easily adapted to be vegan? Most dishes rely on plant-based ingredients such as grains, legumes, and vegetables. These ingredients are nutrient-dense and provide a good source of protein, fibre, and other essential nutrients for vegans. It’s a great option for vegans because of its variety of plant-based ingredients, the flexibility to adapt traditional dishes, unique vegetables and staple foods that are vegan. It provides a range of delicious, healthy, and satisfying vegan options.
4 of the most popular (and my favourite) West African dishes are
Achu Soup
Cornchaff
Jollof Rice
Spinach Stew
Starting with one of my favourites…
Achu Soup
Achu soup is a traditional West African dish that is popular in Cameroon. It is a thick, creamy soup made with a combination of ingredients such as achu (made from the root of the cassava plant), groundnut (peanut) paste, palm oil, limestone and spices. The spice blend is often a mixture of spices, mushrooms, palm oil and rock salt – but it can also be a pre-blended achu soup spice blend. It’s also worth noting that beef hide and tripe can traditionally be added so it’s important to make sure these aren’t included when cooking vegan. It is typically served with a side of vegetables such as spinach or bitter leaf. Some variations may also include vegetables like okra or leek.
A big part of Achu Soups' history is that it is always paired with taro. A traditional African pestle and mortar would be used to grind taro to be added to the soup. Whilst grinding by hand is how things were traditionally done, modern techniques instead use a food processor for speed and convenience.
Achu soup is usually eaten with the hands using fufu, a popular dough-like side dish to scoop up the soup. It is a staple in many Cameroonian households and is often served as a meal at special occasions and celebrations due to how labour-intensive it is to make.
Achu is a traditional food in Cameroon and there is also a version of this soup that is vegan made with vegetable broth instead of chicken or fish and replaces palm oil with other types of oil. This version is often referred to as Achu Soup with Vegetable broth.
Achu soup is known for its rich and complex flavours, featuring sweet and salty tastes of mushroom and a hint of bitterness from the limestone. It truly is a delicious way to experience the unique culinary heritage of Cameroon. If you ever have a chance to visit Cameroon or any other place where they prepare this soup, don't hesitate to give it a try.
Cornchaff
(Source: Gwafu Vegan)
Cornchaff, also known as Adalu in Nigeria, is traditionally made from corn grown in Cameroon. It’s a delicious family favourite that I’m glad to be able to cook myself now, having been brought up with it made by my parents in our house in the small town of Bamendakwe, northwestern Cameroon.
In Cameroon, they follow unique ways of drying the corn to use in dishes such as Cornchaff and fufu corn. Traditionally, the corn is roasted over a wood fire, boiled and fried without any oil in a pan. Sometimes, it may also be left to dry on the roofs of the kitchens.
As the smoke rises while cooking, it slowly dries the corn throughout the warmer months. Once dry, it's ground into grains to use in cooking. This method of drying corn is usually only done in the dry season, from late November to February. The rest of the year it continuously rains, which as you can imagine doesn’t help when the corn is dried on the rooftops!
This dish is one that is very close to my heart, and you can give it a go yourself by following my Cornchaff recipe.
The best part about corn chaff? It's totally vegan-friendly! That means anyone who follows a plant-based diet can enjoy this traditional African food without compromising their beliefs
Jollof Rice
(Source: Gwafu vegan)
Jollof rice is a well-known rice-based dish in the West African community, with variations found across different countries. Among these, variations from Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon are particularly well-known and widely enjoyed. Jollof Rice is a vegan-friendly option that is easy to make.
When I was a child, my parents told me that each country has its own claim of origin for dishes and they all think their version is the best. Although there is no physical fight over Jollof rice, discussions over it can be intense.
I grew up eating this dish frequently in my home and it was one of the first African dishes my mother taught me to cook, partly because it is very easy to make. It is suitable for any occasion and always well-received. It can be enjoyed as a standalone dish, as a side dish, or paired with a side salad for added freshness.
Jollof Rice is made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, onions, peas, and a variety of spices. The ingredients are simmered together to create a flavorful and comforting dish that can be served with a variety of sides such as fried plantains or avocado. Due to this, the dish is naturally vegan, with some choosing to add meat such as chicken, turkey, beef, or fish as a side or at the end. You can of course substitute with your favourite vegan meat alternatives or whatever you fancy.
I’ve got my own recipe for Jollof Rice here on my website. If you choose to give it a go, I hope you enjoy making this dish. As always, I would be thrilled to see your finished product. Please share your pictures with us on social media by tagging @gwafuvegan and we'll share them on our pages.
Spinach Stew
(Photo by Eva Bronzini: Free Green Spinach in the Colander Stock Photo)
(Source: Gwafu vegan)
Spinach stew is a popular and beloved dish in Western Africa that has a rich history behind it. It’s a personal favourite of mine due to the deep flavour that you get from the spice blends, tomato and spinach. Despite this, it manages to be a surprisingly refreshing and light meal all the same.
Spinach itself is believed to have originated in ancient Persia and was later introduced to the Mediterranean region by the Moors. The vegetable quickly became popular in European cuisine and was eventually brought to the Western African colonies by European traders. Since being introduced, spinach grows in abundance, making spinach stew a day-to-day staple meal in Cameroon.
In Western Africa, spinach stew is typically made with a base of tomatoes and onions, to which spinach and other ingredients such as ginger, garlic, chillies and other spices are added. The dish is often served with rice, fufu, or plantain and is considered a principle meal in many households.
This is a simple recipe, which also happens to be budget-friendly due to the reliance on whole foods. If you wanted to make vegan spinach stew even cheaper, you could substitute fresh spinach with frozen spinach instead.
Ready to give these a try?
These are only a few of my favourite West African dishes that I’ve carried with me from my childhood in Cameroon. I’m so excited to share them with you so that you can either find your own recipe or some of these dishes have my own recipes posted on my website which you can follow for true authenticity.
Head To:
I’ll soon be sharing my own recipes for Achu Soup and Spinach Stew, so keep an eye out if you’re interested!
You can also head to my recipes page to see lots of delicious recipes including Corn Tempura Okra Fries, Pumpkin and Plantain Pie and Tofu Piri Piri Chicken.
Thank you to Georgia from Soulshine Digital for helping to write this piece.