Maffé, a savory peanut stew, is the national dish of Gambia and a staple dish in West Africa overall, with many variations within the region. It's the perfect introduction to African cuisine, layering natural peanut butter with savory garlic, bright ginger, fresh lime juice and a touch of sugar for a robust, balanced sauce. Mushrooms and tomato paste give this sauce deep, umami-rich flavor, so that it can easily be used for vegetarian or vegan meals without sacrificing robust meatiness. Use Maffé Peanut Simmer Sauce as a stand-alone sauce for peanut stew with your protein and vegetables of choice (for a thinner soup, add chicken or vegetable broth). Serve with fresh garnishes such as cilantro, lime and fresh tomato over a bed of rice or couscous. You can even use it to make an easy, delicious dip: Mix with mayonnaise or sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and a dash of hot sauce.

Jainaba Jeng was born and raised in The Gambia, a small country on the west African coast bordered on three sides by Senegal. When she moved to North Carolina in 1997, she noticed that she could find ready-made sauces for some international cuisines, but none from her native country—or, in fact, from Africa. So she took matters into her own hands, creating a line of small-batch simmer sauces that draw on flavors from West Africa to Jamaica. “When you taste our foods, I hope you will feel the warmth, love and soul of all women of Africa to whom I pay tribute on our packaging,” says Jeng. “They are responsible for most of the cooking in Africa.”

• Net Weight: 12 ounces
• Ingredients: Water, peanut butter, tomato paste, lime juice, cider vinegar, cane sugar, ginger, garlic, onion, salt, mushroom powder (mushroom, salt, mushroom extract), habanero pepper, paprika, spices, xanthan gum
• Place of Origin: United States

Originally from Senegal and popular throughout West Africa, traditional yassa is a spicy, tangy dish made with chicken or fish in a lemony caramelized onion sauce. Kitchens of Africa's Traditional Yassa Simmer Sauce is a generations-old family recipe, with a sweet and mellow caramelized onion base accented by zesty ginger, lime and dijon mustard. Poblano pepper and a secret blend of spices add heat and depth, for an overall bright-tasting sauce with a tropical feel. Like curry, yassa is an easily adaptable recipe; simply simmer covered with your choice of meat, seafood, vegetables or even tofu for a quick and easy weeknight meal. We recommend serving over a bed or rice or couscous to soak up all of the sauce—and don't forget an extra squeeze of lime at the end of cooking to accentuate the bright flavors. Beyond the traditional, toss with roasted vegetables with right before serving, or use a light coating as a glaze for grilled vegetables.

Jainaba Jeng was born and raised in The Gambia, a small country on the west African coast bordered on three sides by Senegal. When she moved to North Carolina in 1997, she noticed that she could find ready-made sauces for some international cuisines, but none from her native country—or, in fact, from Africa. So she took matters into her own hands, creating a line of small-batch simmer sauces that draw on flavors from West Africa to Jamaica. “When you taste our foods, I hope you will feel the warmth, love and soul of all women of Africa to whom I pay tribute on our packaging,” says Jeng. “They are responsible for most of the cooking in Africa.”

• Net Weight: 12 ounces
• Ingredients: Water, onion, poblano pepper, sunflower oil, lime juice, cider vinegar, dijon mustard (water, mustard seed, vinegar, salt, citric acid), ginger, garlic, cane sugar, salt, spices, mushroom powder (mushroom, salt, mushroom extract), habanero pepper, paprika, xanthan gum
• Place of Origin: United States

This small-batch Mild Jamaican Jerk Paste is almost indescribably complex, with a fruity, earthy and smoky flavor that's great for marinating or basting any kind of meat. Sweet-tart tamarind, soy sauce and a blend of spices provide an aromatic foundation. The sauce also includes two types of mustard and fruity-floral habanero peppers for heat, complemented by smoky cumin and paprika. Kitchens of Africa layers on fresh ingredients like cilantro, ginger and garlic for a well-rounded marinade. You can use Jamaican Jerk Paste on any meat, but we especially like it for chicken and kebabs. Add honey or agave for a sweeter glaze, or try it with soy sauce or fish sauce for deeper, meatier umami notes. Or simmer with tomato puree for a tangy-savory sauce to serve over beans.

Jainaba Jeng was born and raised in The Gambia, a small country on the west African coast bordered on three sides by Senegal. When she moved to North Carolina in 1997, she noticed that she could find ready-made sauces for some international cuisines, but none from her native country—or, in fact, from Africa. So she took matters into her own hands, creating a line of small-batch simmer sauces that draw on flavors from West Africa to Jamaica. “When you taste our foods, I hope you will feel the warmth, love and soul of all women of Africa to whom I pay tribute on our packaging,” says Jeng. “They are responsible for most of the cooking in Africa.”

• Net Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Ingredients: African spices, dates, tamarind, dijon mustard (water, mustard seed, distilled vinegar, salt, citric acid), apple cider vinegar, sunflower oil, ginger, garlic, salt, mushroom powder (mushroom, salt, mushroom extract), cane sugar, habanero peppers, xanthan gum
• Place of Origin: United States

Kitchens of Africa calls tangy-sweet Mombasa its most versatile sauce. Inspired by shidni, a Somali chutney, this simmering sauce is made with tangy tamarind fruit, lime and cider vinegar for a bright flavor profile that's acidic but never astringent, with a subtle, slow-building heat. Cardamom, cloves and star anise add aromatic depth to this bold, balanced sauce, while . We love how it maintains its tangy vibrancy and subtle complexity even after hours of simmering. Other than as a simmering sauce, use Mombasa Tamarind Sauce as a glaze for roasted meats as well as steamed or roasted vegetables, or try it as the base for a homemade barbecue sauce. Its glossy consistency also works well as part of a dressing for a bean salad or crunchy slaw.

Jainaba Jeng was born and raised in The Gambia, a small country on the west African coast bordered on three sides by Senegal. When she moved to North Carolina in 1997, she noticed that she could find ready-made sauces for some international cuisines, but none from her native country—or, in fact, from Africa. So she took matters into her own hands, creating a line of small-batch simmer sauces that draw on flavors from West Africa to Jamaica. “When you taste our foods, I hope you will feel the warmth, love and soul of all women of Africa to whom I pay tribute on our packaging,” says Jeng. “They are responsible for most of the cooking in Africa.”

• Net Weight: 12 ounces
• Ingredients: Water, tamarind, lime juice, bell pepper, dates, sunflower oil, cider vinegar, cilantro, spices, onion, garlic, ginger, cane sugar, salt, mushroom powder (mushroom, salt, mushroom extract), paprika, xanthan gum
• Place of Origin: United States

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. She grew up eating tamarind straight off the trees in her native Ghana, but it wasn't until she tried tamarind candy in Mexico that she learned the name of the sour fruit. TamarindOH! balances tamarind's tart flavor with guava, vanilla and ginger for a versatile sauce that can lean savory—as a base for salad dressings, meat glazes and barbecue—or sweet: Brush the syrup on a cake, swirl it over ice cream, or use as an ingredient in a compote or in place of honey.

Fonio is a nutrient-rich ancient grain that is consumed across West Africa similar to rice or couscous, though it also reminds us most of cream of wheat. With a light, slightly nutty flavor and slightly finer consistency than regular couscous, Yolélé Fonio is extremely easy to make and more straightforward than other grains. Fonio's fluffy texture makes it perfect for grain salads, especially those that play up its natural nuttiness. Or try it for breakfast, topped with fresh fruit, a swirl of yogurt or a drizzle of honey. And we absolutely love this ancient grain for saucy braises and stews, as it soaks up flavors beautifully.

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Inspired by Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper sauce, Essie Spice's fiery-hot Mango Chili Medley starts with a base of earthy scotch bonnet peppers and onions, with layered sweet notes from bright mango and subtly fruity Thai chilies. The sauce has chunks of real mango and a thin enough consistency that it's easily incorporated into recipes. And if you're a spice-lover, you'll love Mango Chili Medley as a standalone condiment for sandwiches. It provides a tangy-sweet, spicy accent and pairs well with similarly tropical flavors such as coconut, or you can use the vibrant sauce to balance the richness of roasted meats.

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Mekko Dry Rub puts a twist on Ghana's ubiquitous kebab powder, which has an aromatic base of ground peanuts and earthy, musky grains of Selim, a West African spice that reminds us of white pepper. The spice powder gets an Asian twist with Chinese five spice, cardamom and star anise. We love the balanced, complex and aromatic flavor profile of Mekko Dry Rub; use it not only as a dry rub for meat and fish but also roasted chickpeas or umami-rich portobello mushrooms. Sprinkle on roasted vegetables or cooked rice or grains as a one-ingredient seasoning. It's even great on popcorn as a snack.

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Coco-for-Garlic is an amazingly balanced sauce that starts with a base of aromatic coconut oil (typical of West African cuisine) then layers on savory, earthy elements inspired by Bartels' travels to western Europe, such as roasted garlic, shallots, tomato paste and bell peppers. Rounded out with sweet honey and fiery habanero pepper, Coco-for-Garlic is an absolutely one-of-a-kind ingredient that's more than the sum of its parts. Whisk it into pan sauces, swirl it into a creamy dip, use it as the base for a marinade or dressing—the possibilities are endless!

This pack of three spice blends includes chef Zoe Adjonyoh’s take on essential West African seasonings. Ubiquitous jollof spice—a building block of the eponymous one-pot rice dish—is made a little different in every household. This blend brings warmth from spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, with a kick from chili and black pepper among other additions. We love its classic savory flavor. Kelewele spice is typically found liberally sprinkled on plantains as a popular street food, but there’s so much more this sweetly aromatic blend can do. It’s fragrant and autumnal in taste, with a light kick of chili. Suya spice borrows from the popular Nigerian cooking style—“suya” means “on the flame” or “on the grill,” and it seasons the skewers of meat in street stalls that draw in so many Ghanaians and Nigerians as they leave work for the day. It tastes nutty, warming and vibrant. The secret to its special flavor? Rich ground peanuts!

​

A special signed edition of this amazing contemporary West African cookbook! Celebrated cook and writer Zoe Adjonyoh passionately believes we are on the cusp of an African food revolution. First published to widespread acclaim in the United Kingdom, “Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen” began as a pop-up restaurant in London featuring dishes such as Pan-Roasted Cod with Grains of Paradise, Nkruma (Okra) Tempura, Cubeb-Spiced Shortbread, and Coconut and Cassava Cake. Soon those dishes evolved into this tempting and celebratory cookbook, newly revised and updated for American cooks. Join Adjonyoh as she shares the beauty of Ghana’s markets, culture and cuisine, and tells the evocative story of using these tastes and food traditions to navigate her own identity. Whether you are familiar with the delights of Ghanaian cuisine or new to the bold flavors of West Africa, this book contains inspiration for extraordinary home cooking, in dishes such as Simple Fried Plantains, Red Red Stew, Red Snapper and Yam Croquettes, Bofrot Doughnuts, Nkatenkwan (Peanut Butter Stew with Lamb), Jollof Fried Chicken, Ghana-fied Caesar Salad and more.

​

A little of these bold, single-origin spices goes a long way. This bundle includes five that are essential to West African and Ghanaian cooking. Traditionally harvested by women, dawadawa is made from the fermented seeds of the African locust bean and tastes akin to truffles with a dash of fish sauce, with a musty cocoa-like scent. We love its earthy, meaty, funky flavor and find we can swamp it in for miso in many applications. Grand grains of selim (Guinea pepper) offer a complex smokiness sliced with the menthol freshness of eucalyptus and a hint of black cardamom. Indigenous to Ghana, calabash nutmeg has a deeper, woodsy quality to it that leans more savory than sweet. Where nutmeg has cinnamon-like sweetness, this has cumin-like savoriness. Alligator pepper (grains of paradise) is a complexly flavorful spice widely popular across West Africa and Ethiopia. Each seed is about half the size of a black peppercorn but packs double the flavor and fragrance. It has a numbing quality as compared to the heat of black pepper, though there’s also a wonderfully fresh herbal quality, citrusy brightness and ginger-like warmth that’s almost reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom (a close relative of the spice). And cubeb pepper is bold and floral-forward, almost like black pepper without the tinge of heat.

​

This bundle of two unique flavored salts came straight from the kitchen of chef Zoe Adjonyoh. The okra salt arose from a “happy accident”: The chef was playing around in her kitchen with okra, one of her favorite ingredients, when a container of dehydrated okra was knocked into a bowl of sea salt. The result? A potent yet never overwhelming seasoning akin to seaweed salt, offering a subtle “of the sea” quality with just the right amount of vegetal earthiness, woodsiness and touch of bitterness. It also removes the slime factor from the okra, which can be an issue for some people, while amping up the flavor concentration. The hibiscus salt also came about while experimenting in the kitchen, but also speaks to the legacy of the ingredient in much of Mexico and South America. The bitter hibiscus has a knack for coaxing out the subtle sweetness of red meats and otherwise offers floral, citrusy notes with a hint of bitter balance.

​

Moringa (also known also as drumstick tree, ben oil tree or horseradish tree) has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries. It has a grassy, herbal aroma similar to okra, with a slightly bitter, strongly herbal taste akin to green tea. Native to Madagascar, baobab is floral and fruity with a light citrus tartness—wonderful for adding zing to sweet dishes.

​