Want to really impress your Super Bowl viewing guests this year? Take the game day usuals up a notch with these hearty African dishes and snacks.
Plantain chips
Instead of greasy potato chips, make this semi-sweet snack from unripe plantains. They taste surprisingly good dipped in guacamole. Plus you get a little nutrition from the plantains. They’re very easy to make: prep time is about 10 minutes and cooking time is six minutes. Get the recipe from Instructables.com here.
Nigerian Meat Pies
Skip the microwaved, over-processed flavor of Hot Pockets this year. Meat pies are fluffy, crispy, hot and hearty. They’re usually filled with meat, carrots and potatoes like a little hand-held beef pot pie. Dip them in your usual hot sauces, barbecue sauce or ketchup. Get the recipe from AllNigerianRecipes.com here.
Chin Chin
Nobody will miss the doughnut holes if you present them with these little sweet treats. Called croquettes in French-speaking African countries, chin chin are slightly crunchy little snack balls sweetened with ground nutmeg and white sugar. Drizzle syrup or powdered sugar over them, or eat them with ice cream. Get the recipe from AllNigerianRecipes.com here.
Hot and Spicy Sauce
Every Super Bowl party needs a really good hot sauce. The Tobasco won’t get a lot of play when this recipe is around. Flavored with cooked red snapper, garlic and chili peppers, it has a unique flavor and tastes great with just about any African snack, from the chin chin to the plantain chips on this list. Get the recipe from KadiAfricanRecipes.com here.
Suya
Suya is an African term for grilled meat, but these aren’t your regular steak-and-veggie skewers. The meat is marinated in a roasted peanut sauce, giving it a succulent, sweet flavor, then spiced up with ginger and cayenne pepper. It’s like an explosion of flavors. The best part is the recipe tastes great with any meat you like, from sausages to chicken. Get the recipe from AllNigerianRecipes.com here.
Cape Brandy Pudding
Your bold-flavored menu deserves a special dessert. The usual white cake won’t cut it. This dessert has been a part of South African tradition for ages. It takes some time to prepare but it’s so worth it. It’s super moist, rich and fluffy with an unforgettable gooey brandy sauce that you’ll want to lick off your plate. Get the recipe from CookSister.com here.
Fried Okra
Fried food is a staple of any Super Bowl party; instead of French fries or jalapeno poppers, try this dish. The okra is deep fried in a cornmeal batter, giving it a nice, gritty texture and sweet flavor. These taste delicious dipped into ranch dressing, ketchup, hot sauce or barbecue sauce. Get the recipe from Instructables.com here.
Spicy Tanzanian Banana Bread
For the baked goods on your Super Bowl party table, feature this show-stopping dessert/breakfast item. It’s almost identical to regular banana bread, but so much better. The spice is from the cinnamon and nutmeg, and it tastes great with a scoop of ice cream of vanilla sauce on top. Get the recipe from AfriChef.com here.
Chilli Bites
These are little deep fried balls of dough, spinach, green apple, dried chillis, red masala and other sweet and spicy ingredients. Every bite is a surprise. These are the perfect finger food. Your guests will not be able to stop at just one. Get the recipe from AfriChef.com here.
Hertzog Cookies
Another addition to the desserts section, these cookies are flaky, buttery and filled with jam. The blend of coconut and apricot jam is considered uniquely South African. They’re allegedly named after a general who loved them. They’re very easy to make, and will make your kitchen smell like heaven. Get the recipe from AfriChef.com here.