10 Most Popular Foods in Mali

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Situated in Western Africa, Mali is known for its close proximity to the desert and its exotic cuisine. Mali is one of the largest countries in the African continent, and its dishes vary from one region to another.

The Malian dishes are mainly made from staple ingredients like sorghum, rice, etc. It is a rich tradition in Mali to serve sauce with every dish. If you are in Mali, you should try out the following top ten dishes.

1. Tiguadege Na

Made with lamb or chicken, the Tiguadege Na is Mali’s national dish. This delicious food looks amazing due to its rich texture. People generally add large chunks of vegetables to this Tiguadege Na. In English, we can translate the dish as “meat in peanut butter sauce.” The dish comes with some spicy flavors because of the addition of garlic, pepper, meat broth, etc.

Recipe for Tiguadege Na

2. Poulet Yassa

This mouth-watering dish is a comfort food of Mali, and every Mali traveler should try this exotic dish. Chicken is the main ingredient of Poulet Yassa. The dish of Poulet Yassa features a spicy yet tangy aroma. During fine dining, serve the Poulet Yassa with a lemony sauce if possible. The dish can be paired with freshly cooked rice.

Recipe for Poulet Yassa

3. Couscous

The Couscous is nothing but a special type of pasta served in Mali with some exotic sauces. The chefs generally use semolina flour to prepare this particular dish of Couscous. The dish is made in all households of Mali almost every day. The dish will taste better with stews. To make this delicious recipe of couscous, you will have to spend less than 30 minutes.

Recipe for Couscous

4. Alabadja

This is one of the signature dishes of Mali. The entire dish is made in top-quality delicious butter sauce. The chefs use minced meat and boiled rice for preparing this incredible dish of Alabadja. The dish is pretty popular among Muslims living in Mali. We should mention here that this is the most flavourful dish in Mali.

Recipe for Alabadja

5. Jollof rice

The Malian Jollof rice is prepared in a single earthen pot. This dish is pretty famous among the residents of Nigeria as well. To make the dish of Jollof rice from scratch, you will need meat, vegetables, spices, etc. The Jollof rice is made in several parts of the country, and you will get to see variations in the preparation. But, all of them use tomato and tomato paste for cooking this Jollof rice.

Recipe for Jollof rice

6. Meni Meniyong

The Meni Meniyong looks like an old-fashioned brittle candy. The dish is mainly made with sesame seeds and a good batch of honey. The recipe is for those who have a sweet tooth. The chefs try to make the dessert as a rectangle as possible. This sweet treat is exceptionally crunchy in nature.

Recipe for Meni Meniyong

7. Fakoye

This is mainly a sauce. This delicious sauce is made from corete leaves. Heat turns the sauce from light to dark color. So, do not put the sauce on high flame for long. This spicy sauce can be served with hot rice and some mutton dishes.

Recipe for Fakoye

8. Bouille

This is a classic Malian dessert. This burnt milk tart is pretty popular among the natives of Mali. The tart comes with a cookie-like crust on the top surface. In the center of the Bouille, you will find a custard filling. To make this delightful recipe, you will need milk, egg, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and so on.

Recipe for Bouille

9. Foutou banane

This West African dish looks like yellow balls. It is definitely a sweet dish. You can prepare the dish of Foutou banane within 30 minutes. One can use large carrots or other fruits for preparing the Foutou banane.

Recipe for Foutou banane

10. Malian tea

Served in miniature glasses, the Malian tea is pretty strong and bitter in nature. During socialization and relaxation, people generally take Malian tea instead of alcohol. If you are visiting Mali, you should definitely try this special Malian tea to make the best out of your trip.

Recipe for Malian tea

Sources:

Travel Trivia

Travel Food Atlas

Wikipedia