The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Gambian Foods. If you manage to be in an Gambian restaurant or you are visiting The Gambia, I recommend the following
1. Yassa
Chicken yassa is one of the most popular dishes in Senegal, and by affinity, in The Gambia. Yassa is a marinade of lemon, oil, onion and mustard, and the dish is tasty and spicy. To obtain a tasty dish it is advisable to make the marinade the day before. The dish, of course, is usually accompanied with rice or cous-cous, as well as various vegetables. It can be cooked with chicken, fish or even beef.
2. Wonjo Juice
Known by different names in different regions of Africa, it is a delicious and refreshing non-alcoholic drink made from hibiscus flowers and sugar.
3. Tapalapa
This is a very peculiar bread from Africa. Although it is native to Gambia, it is also popular in Senegal and Guinea. It is heavy and dense. It is a pain de brousse (mountain bread) long known to mountain people, with a crust and taste similar to the inside of a pretzel. Shaped like a typical baguette, it serves Akara, beans, steamed fish and other Gambian dishes.
4. Domoda
It is a delicious stew based on peanut sauce. It has vegetables such as pumpkin and potato. The sauce has peanut paste (or natural peanut butter), tomato sauce and tomatoes. Caramelized onion, chili pepper and chicken or beef are added, although the dish can also be vegetarian. It is often accompanied by rice, which makes it a very complete dish with a high nutritional value.
5. Benachin
This dish is becoming increasingly popular, not only in Gambia, but also in West African countries where the Wolof ethnic group is present. Also called “Wolof paella”, it has many similarities with the preparation of Spanish paella. It is prepared by first making a stir-fry of coconut oil with onion, tomato and ground pepper. Then the broth is added to cook the rice until it absorbs all the liquid. It can have vegetables, fish or meat.
6. Baobab Juice
The baobab is a fruit that sprouts from the tree with the same name. Its appearance is similar to that of the coconut, although it is heavier and has a sweet and sour taste. It is also known as the tree of life. It is full of vitamins, calcium and fiber, besides being a probiotic food. This is where this delicious and nutritious juice comes from.
7. Akara
It is a delicious local dish served mostly at breakfast and in almost all cases on tapalapa bread. It is made from peas ground in flour. Sometimes they also come wrapped in banana leaf. The peas in this dish are an excellent source of vegetable protein, low in fat and a good source of vitamins.
8. Afra
It is a very popular evening meal. Generally, you select meat of your choice, which is cut in front of you, seasoned and grilled, served with mustard or a spicy sauce. However, the quality can vary greatly depending on where you order it.
9. Okra Stew
Supakanja (as it is also known) is a stew of Okra (or Okra), a phanerogam that also receives the more eloquent name of “lady fingers”. It consists of a fried okra and onion sauce to which fish is usually added. This stew is made with beef, fish, onion and, of course, okra and sometimes shrimp or crabs.
10. Palm Wine
Also known as marufo or maruvo, it is one of the best traditional African beverages with alcohol that has a greater presence globally. One of the main characteristics of this drink is its strong flavor and whitish color derived from the sap extracted from the trunk of the plant, which is fermented with sugar for at least five days. Generally, this drink is reserved for special occasions such as a ritual of gratitude or worship to a deceased person.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.