Culinary culture in Africa: Its global influence

Hardly can any talks on African food culture assuage the sufferings endured by the people of the land.

Centuries ago, colonial rulers had brought and forced their traditions upon the colonized, while the latter shared their culinary creativity with the rest of the world largely through a blood-tainted trade of slavery. Since the independence movement in the 20th century, famine and violence have been regularly grabbing headlines in the Western world, completely overshadowing the greatness of the continent's cultural heritage.

Against the historical backdrop of oppression, African people's contribution to the diversity and creativity of global food culture must be cherished with more gusto. Let's dive deep into the delicious world of African cuisine.

On the platter: Native Traditions

Staple food could be a dish of pleasure, but most importantly a dish of necessity, often it represents the land of its origin.

Ugali is one of the most widely consumed across Africa, western parts in particular. Prepared with a combination of flours, it's cooked in boiling water or milk until the ingredients shape up into a firm and thick dough.

Staple food supplies the human body with carbohydrates that later turns into sugar, a major source of energy. Anything that fits into that criteria can replace rice and bread, no matter how extraordinary it may look to the observers. In many parts of Africa, especially Uganda and Rwanda, Banana is the answer.

Matoke is cooked starchy Banana. Harvested while still green, the fruit is often steamed before being smashed or pounded into a meal, sometimes served fried, too.