Welcome to Tapolifood.com, where we celebrate the rich tapestry of Afro-Caribbean cuisine. If you’ve ever found yourself yearning for the authentic flavors of the islands but faced frustration due to a lack of traditional ingredients, you’re not alone. Many home cooks share this common culinary challenge. But fear not! In this blog post, we’ll delve into the heart of this frustration and explore some creative solutions to help you unlock the true essence of Afro-Caribbean cooking from the comfort of your own kitchen. The Frustration: Picture this: you’re excited to recreate that mouthwatering ..read more

Hi, fam! Gather your friends and family and roll up your sleeves this weekend to do some baking! There’s nothing quite like the warmth and comfort of a home-cooked meal, especially when it’s a dish passed down through generations. In this recipe, you will find out how I make corned beef and cabbage meat pie—a mouthwatering creation inspired by my mother and aunt’s cherished recipe. Join me on this flavor-filled journey and tradition as we explore the origins of this dish and learn how to recreate it in your own kitchen. The Heritage of Cabbage and Corned Beef Pies: This handpie is a popular We ..read more

This is a simple and easy donut (doughnut) hole recipe that you will love. It has the familiar flavors associated with bofrot (Ghanaian donuts) or puff puff (Nigerian version). It is an easy way to fry up a quick treat, avoiding the long cooking times of traditional donuts. There is no waiting for the yeast to do it’s work or kneading the dough in this recipe. It is such a great time saver! The baking powder plus the yogurt act as the rising agents of this recipe. This combination requires no wait time, which is ideal if you want a sweet treat in just a few minutes. These donuts are a fan favo ..read more

Southern-style cooking has deep roots in West African cuisine. From the ingredient choices to the preparation, one can easily see the influence African cooking has on several dishes of the South. One of them is the preparation of greens. The stable green of the South is collard greens. America was first introduced to collard greens in the 1600s in Jamestown. This nutritious leafy vegetable was one of the few crops enslaved Black people were allowed to grow and harvest for themselves. Many West Africans employ green leafy vegetables in their dishes. In Ghana, kontomire (pronounced kontomeeray ..read more

I love an easy stir-fry to whip up during the week. This dish pairs great with noodles, fried fice, or white rice. Moreover, I try looking for ways to incorporate vegetables into a meal, and this dish delivers the perfect balance of fresh vegetables and lean protein. The Sauce I enjoy making my own sauce for stir-fried dishes; however, I turn to pre-made sauces when I want a simple go-to. I chose to go with Sweet Baby Ray’s sweet and hot sauce for this dish. The sauce has the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and heat. It is versatile and goes on a number of dishes, like hot sandwiches, o ..read more

I recently located out of the Chicago area to a smaller city in Florida. Moving down here has its perks; however, I miss the food options of a large city like Chicago. One of our house’s main takeout go-to’s has been Chinese takeout. My favorite Chinese restaurant had this fried rice that was your typical cheat day type meal; it was greasy and salty but had this smokey flavor I love. I have visited several Chinese restaurants hoping to find fried rice that satisfies my cravings, but unfortunately, none have done the job. The next best option is to make my own fried rice. This fried rice dish ..read more

We just came out of the holiday season, which meant a time of feasting! Every year and actually twice a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas) we would have a turkey baking in the oven alongside jollof rice, green beans, and potato salad! This recipe has been our family for years. My mother taught me how to make it and now I make it for my family. This potato salad is creamy and has an awesome textured bite from the chopped onions that will have you craving for more! Although it’s a dish that’s always at the dinner table during the holidays, I enjoy it all year round with barbecue or baked chicken ..read more

This Ghanaian-style fish stew is a recipe I have enjoyed in my household for years. It is fairly easy to make and is so full of flavor. This stew is best served with white rice. This stew also pairs well with other starch dishes like kenkey, waakye, or jollof rice. Like most Ghanaian stews, this stew is tomato-based but is unique in its flavor. Fish The best type fish for this dish a white fish. Any type of white fish that holds up when fried will work for this dish. Whiting is the type of fish I use for this recipe, however, tilapia is a delicious alternative I enjoy. Print Ghanaian Fish Stew ..read more

This refreshing drink goes by several names, sorrel (Caribbean), sobolo (Ghana), hibiscus tea, zobo (Nigeria), roselle, bissap (Senegal), and jimaica just to name a few. The main ingredient comes from the hibiscus flower. It has a sour but bright flavor with citrus notes. In the Caribbean, my medical school had a large field that used to be a private orchard. It had many fresh fruits and vegetables growing on the land including hibiscus. On the weekends I would walk through the open market in Kingstown and find it in abundance especially during the Christmas season. Sorrel is a treat people lo ..read more

Zucchini bread has become a new favorite quick bread in our home. Although this is not a typical recipe you will find here at tapoli food, I know you will love it once you try it. Why Zucchini Bread? This zucchini bread recipe was developed because I had zucchini gifted to me by our neighbor. We both share a love for gardening and each summer we bond over tomatoes, green peppers, etc. This year she grew zucchini, and not just any kind of zucchini I have ever seen. One day I walked outside and found a bag hanging off my back gate. To my surprise, there are was a giant zucchini and a giant cucum ..read more