The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Malian Foods. If you manage to be in an Malian restaurant or you are visiting Mali, I recommend the following
1. Fattoush Salad
The most popular salad is salat à la tomas et au cocombres, or tomato and cucumber salad. It is so refreshing and easy to prepare that its popularity in Mali and other neighboring countries is not surprising. To prepare it, you need tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
2. Dabileni
The drink, called dabeleni by the Malians and bissap by the French, is a tea made from hibiscus flowers. It has a beautiful red color and contains no alcohol. And because it is made with boiled water, it is as safe and healthy as bottled water. Dabileni is made from dried hibiscus flowers, water, mint leaves, nutmeg, vanilla extract and sugar.
3. Meni-Meniyong
It is one of the most popular sweets in Mali. It is very easy to make, just sesame seeds, unsalted butter and honey. In this dessert, butter and honey are heated in a pan, then toasted sesame seeds are added to the mixture. Spread the resulting dough on a baking sheet until it is firm enough to cut easily. Very delicious.
4. Thiebu Djen
Thiebu djen is a stewed white fish dish. It is usually eaten with rice for lunch. To make it, you need okra, aubergine, cabbage, tapioca, pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, onions, bell peppers, garlic, parsley, green onions, chicken stock and, of course, white fish… and a lot of time. The process takes about two hours, not counting the marinade, so you can imagine how amazing this dish is when people try to make it.
5. Tigadèguèna
It is a stew that is a staple food in West Africa. It is very similar to peanut soup. It can have a thicker consistency. Maafe is made with lamb, beef, chicken or without meat and cooked with peanut butter (especially peanut butter or peanut butter) and tomatoes.
6. Couscous
Couscous is the best party food. There isn’t a house you won’t visit without couscous and mint tea. It is finely ground durum wheat in the form of grains. They use it to make a very popular traditional North African dish.
7. Poulet Yassa
Here is a recipe for chicken with onions and vegetables, served with white rice. It is a speciality of the Casamance region south of Dakar and one of the most popular recipes in all of West Africa.
8. Saka Saka
It is the name of the green cassava leaves and the name of the dishes made with the leaves. There are many variations of this dish, usually consisting of fresh tapioca leaves ground and mixed with palm oil or palm butter, onions, garlic, chili, okra or other toppings such as dried fish, meat and peanuts.
9. Foutou Igname
Yams are tubers grown and consumed mainly in Central Africa and Oceania. To discover this starch, you can try some recipes made mainly with mashed potato. It can be made with yams (of course), lamb, peanut butter, okra, peppers and tomatoes. Exotic dishes for all occasions.
10. Foutou Banane
Banana foutou is the basis of a traditional Baoule dish made with steamed bananas (preferably a mixture of green and ripe bananas) and tapioca, then mashed or blended before adding tapioca flour. Large balls are rolled to the desired consistency.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.