The Contemporary African Kitchen: Home Cooking Recipes from the Leading Chefs of Africa

This distinctively handsome book showcases 120 recipes from nearly thirty chefs who represent at least eighteen countries in Africa, many of them having worked in multiple lands. The recipes are grouped into four large geographic regions: Northern, Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. Each one is accompanied by photograph, and often by an informative headnote which helps readers understand the cultural place a dish occupies as well as the degree to which it may vary across a region. The simple wheat flour-based white porridge of Nubia, for instance, is a part of wedding celebrations. Chicken biryani from the Swahili people in Uganda reflects that country’s ancient trade relationship with the Middle East and South Asia.  And Zambian donuts, we learn, are a common street food but a more beloved treat when made at home. A serious exploration that treats its subject with insight and respect. Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.