Burkinabé Cuisine

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Overview of Burkinabé Cuisine History
Burkina Faso is a Western African country, with an authentic African cuisine. The aliments which are grown in the country are: various nuts and peanuts, millet and sorghum. Even though there can be found some animals farms with sheep and cattle, the Burkina Faso food is not stapled at all on meat dishes – with the exception of fish, which is consumed frequently. The fruits, such as: bananas, avocados, grapefruits, mangos, papayas, coconut and plantains are not only used for sweet meals, but also as the main course, besides the traditional stew. Bananas used both for the leaves and for the inner fruit in most of the Burkina Faso desserts. The most important local vegetables: cassava (with edible roots), Eggplant, maize, okra, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, turnip, yam (it has edible tubers) are bases for fufu, locally known as foofoo, one of the most significant Burkina Faso meals, also found in other African countries.

Cuisines of Burkina Faso


Burkina Faso has almost the same culinary culture in all its regions - still, there are some differences between the urban and the rural areas. Due to the fact that meat is considered to be a luxury in the villages, it is usually replaced with fish, which is always consumed with rice, beans or maize. Besides fish, eggs are consumed in the rural areas, as a replacement of meat. There are many markets in all regions in which the local veggies can be found: potatoes, yams, beans and okra, plus very tasty local strawberries. In the capital, Ouagadougou, various sauces are consumed with the meals, like the riz gras (prepared for the rice meals) or the gombo sauce, made of okra, but also used in other stews. These sauces are served with to, which is porridge of millet and maize. The most popular meat dishes include Chicken, which is a delicacy in the rural areas – Chicken is prepared as brochettes (cooked on skewers).

Preparation Methods for Burkinabé Cooking
Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. Burkina Faso cuisine uses elements from various cooking traditions borrowed from their neighbors and developed from their own traditional dishes. While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for Burkina Faso cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the Burkina Faso cuisine. The diversity of vegetables and cereals found in Burkina Faso is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion differentiates. Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of Burkina Faso’s regions. Meat is one of the main elements of most Burkina Faso dishes and cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes.

Special Equipment for Burkinabé Cooking
From cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishers & portioners, food pans & food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets & accessories, the Burkina Faso cuisine needs a diverse cooking equipment set in order to produce the most sophisticated Burkina Faso dishes. You should consider insulated food carriers if you are transporting the food and a full set of kitchen linens and uniforms if you wish to look like a pro. Here are a few other items that will come handy while cooking Burkina Faso food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slicers, kitchen thermometers, measuring cups & measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers & strainers. Essential utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should also be part of your cooking "arsenal".

Burkinabé Food Traditions and Festivals
Some of the most popular meals which are consumed on special occasions include the meat meals, like the Chicken – prepared on charcoal fire and consumed with the tradition nal sauces and rice. On Sundays, families in Burkina Faso eat yam and nere (black seeds with nutritional values). The celebrations are also enjoyed with the local drinks, such as dolo (a millet beer), zoomkoom (a softie of millet flour, ginger, lime and Sugar) and bissap (a red colored drink with hibiscus flowers). One of the most significant days in the Burkina Faso culture is the Anniversary of the Revolution, celebrated on the 4th of august – with this occasion, the inhabitants enjoy large family feasts.

People in Burkinabé Food

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Burkina Faso chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who have never tasted them before. There are many chefs who creatively use the basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Burkina Faso dishes and create original and delicious food variations. Whether they are cooking dishes that go back in time for centuries or brand new, modern dishes, Burkina Faso chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking.