Gabonese people have perfectly utilized and developed their distinctive dishes. Gabonese cuisine refers to the cooking practices, traditions, foods, and words related to Gabon, a sovereign state on Central Africa's west coast.
French cuisine is a notable influence, and various French specialities are available in larger cities. In addition, cassava, rice, and yams are everyday food staples in rural areas.
10 Most Popular Traditional Gabonese Food
Meats include chicken and fish and bush meats such as antelope, wild boar, and monkey. Sauces are frequently used, with hot red pepper berbere paste being a famous example.
Bananas, mangoes, papayas, guavas, pineapples, coconuts, avocados, and peanuts are examples of fruits. Plantains, tomatoes, corn, and eggplant are other ingredients.
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Nyembwe Poulet / Moambe Chicken (Gabonese Chicken Stew)
The name of the food hints at its main ingredient. "Moambe" or "Nyembwe" means "palm butter/oil," which is a popular plant in Central Africa and is widely used in cooking. This Gabonese delicacy also features Nyembwe.
The fact that Poulet Nyembwe is not only Gabon's national dish is fascinating. This is the national dish of the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.
Although chicken is the most commonly used ingredient in this Nyembwe recipe, you can also find variations made of beef, mutton, or fish. In addition to protein, the locals will add vegetables and spices to make the food richer and healthier.
Gabonese Brochettes (Gabonese Skewers)
If you like meat, you should always take advantage of these Gabonese-style Brochettes. Although many different types of meat can be used for this delicacy, chicken is the most popular in Gabon.
Apart from Gabon, this delectable treat is popular in Rwanda and other African countries. There will be marinated chicken (with garlic, cumin, parsley, paprika, and other spices), onion, bell peppers, and other vegetables on a skewer.
Even though the necessary ingredients are simple, I urge you to try this dish at least once in your lifetime because it is delicious.
Gabonese Mustard Chicken
sAlthough Mustard Chicken is not an authentic Gabonese recipe, it is popular in Gabon. Because it requires almost no effort to prepare, people in this country can include it in their daily meals.
The ingredients for this delicacy are also simple and can be found almost anywhere. It's not a lie because the ingredients are stock, onion, garlic, mustard, and lemon. Yummy!
Bananas With Four Croustillantes (Gabonese Baked Bananas)
In Gabon, bananas and plantains are frequently used as ingredients in various dishes, particularly desserts. For example, people in Gabon enjoy baked bananas as a favourite dessert and consume them almost daily.
They prepare bananas in a very straightforward manner to produce this delicacy. First, the bananas will be thinly cut into pieces, dipped into the orange and egg mixture, and then coated with breadcrumbs.
These banana slices will first be deep-fried until crisp before being baked for 5 minutes. When the treatment has cooled, Gabonese people will either top it with brown sugar for a sweeter taste or serve it with sour cream.
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Dongo-Dongo (Gabonese Okra Stew With Smoked Fish)
Although the pairing of fish and okra may seem strange, it works surprisingly well. Moreover, it's something you won't regret tasting. A versatile dish, Dongo dongo is a "rumored cousin" of the well-known Cajun-Creole gumbo.
It can be defined as a sauce and a soup, and it goes well with any starchy side dish, like fufu rice. Along with okra and fish, the Dongo Dongo pot also includes a variety of other ingredients like hot peppers, stir-fried onions, and garlic.
Your treat won't taste greasy at all as a result.
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Poisson Salé (Gabonese Salted Cod Stew)
Every delectable Gabonese dinner table features the beloved and nutrient-dense Poisson Salé. Give it a try immediately because you can enjoy it for other meals throughout the day.
Poisson Salé's nutrition and flavour are improved by adding various vegetables, allowing it to complement a wide variety of other starchy bases. Great food to pair with Poisson Salé is rice. You can also enjoy it with attiéké (African fermented cassava semolina).
The fish stew's flavour will complement the cassava paste's sourness and aid in general digestion.
Chakery (Gabonese Couscous Pudding)
The following dessert is chakery, an authentic Gabonese delicacy. A bowl of cooling Chakery will help you beat the heat if you visit Gabon in the summer. Couscous, milk, yogurt, fresh fruit (chopped pineapple chunks), and sour cream are all included in a portion of Chakery.
To improve the flavor profile of this modest dessert, they sometimes add cinnamon and other spices. Something this tasty, smooth, and sweet is impossible to resist.
Gabonese beignets (Gabonese Fried Dough)
Although beignets are a Gabonese dessert, French cuisine was their inspiration (Gabon was a French colony for around 80 years). This dessert reminds one of tiny, crispy pillows, and the icing sugar makes one think of flaky, white snow when looking at it.
When you're waiting for a Gabonese lunch recommendation or at the end of the meal, I suggest having these beignets as a snack. Even the pickiest eater will enjoy this food because of its straightforward ingredients.
Through this brief introduction, you can learn how they make flawless beignets. Other Delectable Gabonese Delights
There are many more mouthwatering dishes from Gabonese cuisine that you can find right here in addition to the ones mentioned above.
Feuilles de Manioc (Cassava Leaves)
One of the national dishes of Gabon, this dish is enjoyed by all of the country's ethnic groups. But everyone prepares it differently and enriches it.
For example, some add sugar, while others use peanut paste or nyembwè sauce, like the Fangs. Usually, we use fish or sardines in cans, but you can always substitute meat.
There are countless ways to highlight this dish using creativity; for instance, add cabbage to change the flavor. It is typically served during meals with the family on weekdays and weekends. It is served with cassava, rice, or banana fingers to make it more enjoyable.
Soukoutè
One of our Kota brothers' signature dishes is cassava leaves wrapped in a banana leaf.
The main ingredients are banana peel juice or cawin (sea salt), but you can also use the Kota spice élodjè in their place. It is a pure pleasure when combined with freshwater fish.
