Malinese Cuisine & Recipes

Typical Dishes | Shop African Food | Shop African Wares

Malinese cuisine consists mainly of millet, corn, or rice porridges served with a large variety of "sauces". Sauces can be made of ground peanuts, okra, baobab leaves, or sweet potato leaves. A variety of meats and vegetables are added to the sauces, which are then served with porridge, couscous or rice. Beef, lamb, chicken, and fresh or smoked fish are popular proteins. Common vegetables include onions, tomatoes, eggplant, plantain and yams. Common West African dishes, such as poulet yassa and foutou are popular in Mali as well. Mangoes, bananas, lemons and watermelon are common fruits.

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Mali Picture

Malinese Recipes


All meals in Mali are prepared by women. And food is eaten with the right hand. Eating with the left hand is considered highly improper in this mostly Muslim nation. Meals are often finished with strong, sweet tea. Tea service in Mali, as in many countries, is a highly ritualized affair. Three rounds are served: the first for life, the second for love, the third for death.


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Typical Malinese Dishes

Salads

  • Salade à la Tomates et au Cocombres (Tomato-cucumber salad)

Poultry

  • Poulet Kedjennou (Chicken stewed with vegetables)
  • Poulet Yassa (Chicken with onions)

Meats

  • Diabadji (Meat in onion sauce)
  • Fakoye (Lamb in herb sauce)
  • Naboulou (Meat & baobab leaves in peanut sauce)
  • N'gougouna (Meat in bean leaf sauce)
  • Saga Saga (Meat in sweet potato leaf sauce)
  • Sauce d'Arachide (Meat in peanut sauce; see Mafé recipe notes)
  • Sauce Noire (Meat in gumbo sauce)

Fish & Seafood

  • Tcheké (Fish with plantains)
  • Tigadèguèna ni Djèguè Woussou (Smoked fish in peanut sauce)

Vegetables & Beans

  • Foutou Banane (Mashed plantains, see, Fufu recipe)
  • Foutou Igname (Mashed yams, see, Fufu recipe)
  • Frites de Patates Douces (Fried sweet potatoes)
  • Goyo (Eggplant)
  • Ragoût d'Igname (Yam stew)

Breads & Grains

  • Couscous (Grain-like pasta)
  • Dégué (Sweetened yogurt porridge)
  • Fonio (Crushed wild grain)
  • Larho (Millet porridge)
  • Moni (Sour porridge)
  • Riz (Plain boiled rice)
  • Riz au Gras (Rice mixed with fat & vegetables)
  • Seri (Sweet porridge)
  • Tô (Millet or cornmeal porridge with okra sauce)

Desserts

  • Mangues (Mangoes)
  • Meni-meniyong (Sesame-honey sweet)
  • Pastèque (Watermelon)

Beverages

  • Café (Coffee)
  • Dablenin (Sorrel beverage)
  • Djinimbéré (Ginger beverage)
  • Té (Tea)