Benin

Country - Benin

Cuisine Description - The Republic of Benin is located in the west side of Africa on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Benin was a French colony from 1892 to 1899, becoming afterwards a part of the west side of French West Africa until 1960 when it becomes an independent state. Benin borders in the north with Niger, in the south with the Gulf of Guinea, in the east with Nigeria and in the west with Togo. Due to the fact that for about one century Benin was under French occupation, the Beninese cuisine reflects several French influences. We can discover in Beninese cuisine, recipes which have a French flair but that don’t change that many the traditional recipes first of all because the ingredients need it are very expansive. The traditional Beninese meals are rich in rice, corn, beans, yams, cassava and millet while the most popular meat found in Benin is fish and Chicken. Because Benin is one of the poorest countries in the world, the meat is consumed only for special occasions. Due to the fact that Benin is located in an equatorial climate area the vegetation is abundant and their cuisine is heavy on vegetarian dishes.

Benin is divided in two major regions: the south where the main form of relief is coastal plain which are fertile soil and the north region which includes mostly savannas and semiarid plateaus. Giving the relief difference between these two regions, the culinary style is also very different.
In the south of Benin the most common ingredient is the corn. The corn is used in preparing the dough which is mainly served with Peanut or tomato-based sauces. The most common meat type used in the southern cuisine is fish and Chicken, but we can also find goat, Beef and bush rat. The meat is fried in palm or peanut oil. As for vegetables the most popular are rice, beans, tomatoes and couscous. Fruits are very easy to find in this region especially oranges, bananas, mandarin oranges, pineapples, kiwi, avocado, peanuts.
While the corn is considered as the staple food of the southern population, the yam is the staple in the northern parts. Like in the southern provinces the yams are served with Peanut or tomato-based sauces. The population from the Northern provinces prefers Beef and Pork meat which is also fried in palm or peanut oil or it is cooked in sauces. Cheese is also frequently used in preparing some dishes. rice, couscous, and beans are as well regularly eaten; as for fruits the most commonly eaten are mango, oranges, and avocado.
Benin is recognized all over Africa for its exotic dishes and its exotic ingredients which provide a unique taste. Because in Benin the meat is quite expensive the meals are light on meat and generous on vegetable fat. Copyright Recipes Wiki