The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Western Saharan Foods. If you manage to be in an Western Saharan restaurant or you are visiting Western Sahara, I recommend the following
1. Tajín
It is one of the emblematic stews of the Arab cuisine of North Africa and especially of the Moroccan Berber gastronomy. This dish is made with vegetables, fish, poultry or lamb. It takes its name from the clay pot where it is prepared and whose main feature is its striking conical lid.
2. Rice with Fish
Being almost entirely nomadic, the Saharan tribes based their diet on meat, milk and dairy products. The coastal tribes, due to their location, added fish and rice dishes. They use different types of fish depending on the area.
3. Mutton
One of the most popular types of meat on local tables. One of the most common ways of preparing this meat is in the form of roast accompanied by cous cous as well as with different vegetables or eggs.
4. Meifrisa
One of the most traditional dishes of the region, it is a stew prepared with rabbit, lamb or camel meat, onion and garlic, served on unleavened bread, which is a type of unleavened bread dough that is left to bake on the desert sand.
5. Jollof
Jollof rice, a dish consisting of rice with tomato, onion, garlic and red pepper, to which chicken, fish or beef is added; eaten on all holidays, Sunday lunch and everything in between, it can be served hot or at room temperature.
6. Goat meat
One of the favorite meats of the Saharawis, in addition to pork and camel. It is usually served with jollof rice, couscous or with vegetables.
7. Ezzmit
Cereals (Ezzmit) such as rice, wheat and barley, with which the locals manage to prepare nutritious dishes are essential to the Saharan cuisine. Cereals and their derivatives are an important part of their cuisine. Grains are mixed with milk to form the country’s famous dishes such as aych.
8. El Aych
It is a popular cereal in the region and literally means self-sufficient food. It is made mainly from flour and pure butter. It is one of the most important non-meat foods of the Sahara. After boiling water in a Saharan pot called Al marjen, the barley is boiled and cooked and served in special clay pots called Lgasâ. It is then mixed with sweetened milk or a special fat called dahan.
9. Couscous
The main element of couscous is durum wheat semolina, which in turn is the basis of food in the northern part of the African continent. The couscous dish is part of everyday dishes, but it is also eaten on special occasions (weddings, religious ceremonies, births, offerings, circumcision or deaths. This dish can be eaten hot or cold, sweet or savory, and even for dessert or breakfast.
10. Camel Milk
In addition to using the camel for transportation, the people of Western Sahara also highly value their milk. The basis of camel milk is that it is lower in fat, free calcium and vitamin C and minerals such as iron compared to cow’s milk. A wide range of characteristics has put this dairy product in the spotlight in Western markets, where all breeds are experiencing a significant increase in demand; from chocolate bars to ice cream to camelcino coffee.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.