Home \(\blacktriangleright\) Children and Youth Unit \(\blacktriangleright\) Arrows Website \(\blacktriangleright\) African Cuisine \(\blacktriangleright\) Activity 1: Introduction to African Cuisine
Activity 1: Introduction to African Cuisine
The continent of Africa is a melting pot of cultures and flavors!
This activity introduces a variety of dishes typical of different regions across the continent – from fufu in Central Africa and Ethiopian injera, to North African couscous and South African potjiekos stews.
Come learn about main ingredients and traditional ways of eating, discover new dishes, and spark curiosity about the daily life of the people of Africa.
In this activity (by: Dr. Galit Botzer), typical dishes from different regions in Africa will be presented.
The dishes will be showcased using an image and a short verbal description.
The intention is not to prepare the recipe, as these are often complex dishes whose ingredients are sometimes not common in Israel and they are not always suited to the taste of young children.
However, the colors, the variety of dishes, and even the names, spark curiosity and teach about the daily life of the people of Africa.
It is recommended to review the cards together with the children, link the image and the verbal description, note key ingredients in the recipe, and identify the geographical region using a map of Africa.
The Activity
Before you are images showcasing a meal from African cuisine.
Look at the images.
- Which food ingredients do you recognize?
\(\space\) - Read the information provided below on the page, with the help of your parents.
What do you think of the dish?
\(\space\) - Does it look tasty to you?
\(\space\) - What do you think about the way it is eaten?
\(\space\) - How is it similar to foods you are used to eating at home? How is it different?
Fufu
This dish is typical of Central Africa. The dish includes Fufu, which is a dough-like food made from root vegetables such as cassava or yam.
The vegetable is boiled with water until a very thick porridge-like consistency is formed, which is then rolled into a ball.
Fufu is eaten with the hands.
You take a small ball of fufu, dip it in sauce, and eat.
In Cameroon, fufu is called Couscous de Cameroun.
This does not refer to the North African couscous familiar to us.
Peanut soup is also typical of the Central African region.
Many dishes contain peanuts.
Potjiekos
Potjiekos is a dish typical of South Africa.
It is a meat stew with vegetables.
The cooking method common in Africa is slow cooking in a heavy iron pot.
Wot with Injera
This dish is typical of Ethiopian cuisine, in Northeast Africa.
The dish includes an Ethiopian bread called Injera.
This bread is made from a grain called teff or from wheat, and looks like a thin pita bread.
On top of it is a variety of spicy vegetable stews called wot.
The bread is torn into pieces which are dipped into the wot stew and eaten.
Couscous
Couscous is a dish made of semolina served with a meat and vegetable sauce.
It is a dish typical of North Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya.
Information about Peanuts
The peanut originated in South America.
From there it spread north to Central America, where it was discovered by the Spaniards, who transferred it through European traders to Africa.
The peanut is a common food in Africa and from there it arrived via slaves to the United States and became a popular food there.
In Israel, snacks like Kabukim and Bamba are made from peanuts.
