Togo - West Africa - page 868

Food & Drink
For most West Africans, food is a question of survival rather than enjoyment and, as a res-
ult, it's often monotonous. But for most travellers, the combination of unfamiliar tastes and
the range of influences - including local, French and even Lebanese - results in some fine
cuisine. The key is knowing where to find it (you won't find much variety outside larger
cities), trying not to let the rather generous amounts of oil used in cooking bother you, and
learning to appreciate the atmosphere - an essential ingredient in the region's cooking - as
much as the food.
South of the Sahara: Traditional Cooking from the Lands of West Africa, by Elizabeth A Jackson, brings the flavours of
West Africa to your kitchen; the writer lived in Africa for a time and loves her food.
Staples & Specialities
Rice, rice and more rice is the West African staple that you'll eat again and again on your
travels. Millet is also common, although this grain is usually pounded into flour before it's
cooked. The millet flour is steamed then moistened with water until it thickens into a stiff
porridge that can be eaten with the fingers. In the Sahel, couscous (semolina or millet
grains) is always on the menu.
In coastal countries, staples may be root crops such as yam or cassava (also called
manioc), which are pounded or grated before being cooked. They're served as a near-solid
glob called fufu or foufou (which morphs into foutou further north) - kind of like mashed
potatoes mixed with gelatin, and very sticky. You grab a portion (with your right hand),
form a ball, dip it in the sauce and enjoy. In the coastal countries, plantain (green banana) is
also common.
If all that sounds a little uninspiring, remember that the secret's often in the sauce, which
usually goes by the name of riz sauce . In some Sahel countries, groundnuts (peanuts) are
common, and a thick, brown groundnut sauce (usually called arachide ) is often served,
either on its own or with meat or vegetables mixed in with the nuts. When groundnut sauce
is used in a stew, it's called domodah or mafé . Sometimes deep-orange palm oil is also ad-
ded. Sauces are also made with vegetables or the leaves of staple food plants such as cas-
sava. Stock cubes or sachets of flavouring are ubiquitous across the region (Maggi is the
most common trade name) and are often thrown into the pot as well. Where it can be af-
forded, or on special occasions, meat or fish is added to the sauce, sometimes succulent
slices, sometimes grimly unattractive heads, tails and bones.