Grilled, stuffed foldover pancakes topped with melted cheese; rice pancakes with eggs, chilli and lime; and Welsh crempogau – a great alternative to crumpets – with a persimmon compote The number of times I’ve wondered what’s for family supper, looked in the fridge and “magicked” up a meal thanks to the quick creation of pancakes is, well, a lot. The only numbers I need to remember, thankfully, are 1-2-3 (one egg, 200g flour, 300ml milk), and we’re off! Pancakes are a quick and easy solution – they’re essentially a vehicle to wrap up or to hold other ingredients – plus they come in a hugely di ..read more

Akoko’s new, more casual, younger sibling is a West African trailblazer in its own right On the edge of Borough Market, hiding slightly up a back lane and away from the £12 aubergines, the pork chops that come with CVs and the madding foodie crowds clutching their spirulina smoothies, is a new west African restaurant, Akara. Once upon a time, Borough Market was a weekend affair, but now it’s a genteel, organic sort of bedlam every single day. It’s the perfect place to open somewhere like Akara, the second restaurant from Aji Akokomi, who in 2020 opened Akoko, a fine-dining excursion around the ..read more

A west African twist on the prosecco cocktail, featuring pineapple and star fruit as striking additions This fruity, refreshing drink is named after Sierra Leone’s national football team. You’ll need a juicer to make it. This is an edited extract from Sweet Salone: Recipes from the Heart of Sierra Leone, by Maria Bradford, published by Quadrille at £30. To order a copy for £26.40 go to guardianbookshop.com ..read more

Give your barbie a west African spin with slow-cooked lamb, spicy rice and fried plantains on the side Outdoor cooking over fire is prevalent in most west African homes, mainly, of course, due to the warm climate. So it’s not surprising that the most popular street foods in the region are also barbecue dishes, be it suya from Nigeria, domedo from Ghana or dibi from Senegal. The marinated leg of lamb is lovely with the jollof rice and fried plantains below. Aji Akokomi is founder of Akoko in London W1 ..read more

Start with a West African sweet potato and chickpea stew, and round things off with some no-bake peanut butter cups that even the kids can make Peanut butter is a pantry stalwart (well, it is in my house) that works beautifully in both savouries and desserts, adding a richness and subtle sweetness in one simple step. I always opt for the crunchy stuff, but smooth works, too; both are interchangeable in today’s recipes. This West African-inspired stew and peanut butter cups make peanut butter the well-deserved star of the show, and can be batched up and frozen in portions for future meals – the ..read more

A strawberry and scotch bonnet jam to serve with meats or cheese, and a refreshing watermelon and tomato salad with hibiscus and citrus dressing I have always believed that the best way to enjoy fruit – especially summer fruit at its peak – is to bite into that sweet or sour, tart and juicy flesh. But there is something to be said for cooking with fruit, preserving its essence in jams or pairing it with chillies, florals, citrus, acid and spice for an explosion of flavours. Here are two fine examples of how I love to celebrate summer fruit in savoury dishes. Africana: Treasured Recipes and Sto ..read more

A traditional spinach and tomato stew with melon seed ‘dumplings’, served with boiled plantains and avocado As someone who was often forced to eat their greens when they were growing up, it’s surprising to me that I have always enjoyed today’s dish. I think it’s because I thought the name was cool, and even the word being said seemed somehow able to calm family tensions. Spinach is still not something I eat abundantly as an adult, but here, combined with red palm oil, tomatoes, egusi (melon seed) and a few other simple ingredients, it creates wonder. Akwasi Brenya-Mensa is chef/patron of Tatal ..read more

Pierre Thiam and Garrett Oliver are on a mission to introduce brewmasters to fonio, a small and mighty west African grain There’s a certain magic to fonio, a tiny golden grain believed to be Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal. The ancient grain’s potential to solve pressing modern environmental and economic challenges inspired Pierre Thiam, the Senegalese-born chef, to become fonio’s No 1 champion. After rediscovering the grain and showing home cooks how easy to cook and versatile it is, now Thiam is introducing brewmasters around the world to what fonio can do in beer ..read more

This typically Ghanaian pancake is substantial enough by itself, but is also a hit served with bean stew or as part of a brunch spread It’s January 2020, and I have just visited Paapa’s house in Kumasi, Ghana, where some plantains have just been cut down from our tree. I am looking for a name for a new Pan-African concept that I’ve been developing on Post-it notes and in my head, and I don’t really know anything other than the fact that I want the name to align with my favourite ingredient, the plantain, because I find it synonymous with the black experience back home and in the diaspora gener ..read more

Chuku’s in Tottenham received £8,000 from BeyGood Foundation, which pledged $1m to businesses near world tour venues Squishy rectangles of bean moi moi, warmly spiced egusi stew and rice pancakes topped with savoury-sweet pumpkin and peanut – these are among the Nigerian dishes that deserve a greater showing in the UK’s culinary repertoire, and Beyoncé is here to help. They count among a host of Nigerian specialities on the menu at Chuku’s in Tottenham, which has just received an £8,000 funding boost from Beyoncé as part of her pledge to spend $1m (£790,000) on businesses near the venues on he ..read more