Muamba de Galinha (Angola)
Also known as chicken muamba, this spicy stew is packed with chicken (duh), okra, chilis, garlic, and palm oil or butter. Like many African dishes, it is usually paired with a starchy porridge, or sometimes cassava leaves or white rice. Filling and rich, Muamba de Galinha is a popular meal for locals and tourists alike.

Fufu (Ghana)
Fufu isn’t often eaten alone, but it is such a staple and so versatile in the ways it can be used that it makes this list. Originally from Ghana but now found over most of West Africa, fufu is made from starchy substances like cassava, yams, or plantains and pounded into a dough. Most diners will pinch off bits of the dough balls and dip them in various stews or sauces.

Alloco (Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone)
Alloco is beautiful in its simplicity, but definitely doesn’t lack in the delicious department. Fried plantains usually served with chili pepper, onions, eggs, tomatoes, or really anything handy, alloco is great as a meal, snack, dessert, or never-ending binge. It is widely available from street vendors or fast food places, but is also an easy enough dish to make on one’s own!

Bobotie (South Africa)
Bobotie is essentially a curried minced meat pie baked with egg on top, and traces its roots back to South Africa’s Indonesian population. Although similar to moussaka, the flavors are unique and it is most often made with beef or pork (a mutton option still exists, but is not as popular).

Galinha à Zambeziana (Mozambique)
Mozambique is a melting pot of different influences, meaning its chicken dish -Galinha à Zambeziana – blends hot piri-piri sauce with lime, pepper, creamy coconut milk, and more fragrant spices than your nose will know what to with. Usually served with cassava leaves and peanuts, its most popular in the Quelimane and Zambezia provinces (hence the name).

Suya (Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger)
Once again, simplicity is best when you’re picking up a suya, or a meat kebab with peanuts and chili pepper. Easy to grab from street vendors and eat on the go, the barbecued meat is a delicious snack or meal and gives you a taste of local spices. Each suya-maker will use His or her own special blend.

Kapenta (Zimbabwe, Zambia)
Crisply fried kapenta, a freshwater fish found in lakes in Zambia and Zimbabwe, are a popular treat among locals and visitors to either country. Served either dried or fresh, the fresh options are usually served with corn porridge or in a stew with tomatoes, onions, and peanuts.

Brik (Tunisia)
Who doesn’t love a deep-fried stuffed pastry? That’s why you need to try brik, a Tunisian favorite that can be prepared in a variety of ways – stuffed with egg, tuna, ground meat, chicken, anchovies, and more. Tunisian tradition also dictates that a groom’s future mother-in-law prepare him brik, and he is only allowed to marry the daughter if he eats it without spilling egg yolk. Meaning you should start practicing now.

Irio (Kenya)
Irio, or nyama na irio, is mashed potatoes, peas, beans, corn, and onion (often served with meat), and is one of the heartiest things you can put into your body. It is thought to be a “stamina food,” meaning long-distance runners and other athletes will fuel up with irio before a work-out, and large portions are often made at once, serving families for days at a time.

Kitfo (Ethiopia)
No list of delicious African food would be complete without looking to Ethiopia, so the real challenge was to pick just one to highlight. Enter kitfo, raw or very lightly cooked minced beef covered in a spicy chili powder. It’s often served with a mild cheese to cut some of the spice, as well as the well-loved Ethiopian flatbread, injera.