Food, eating habits and cusine of Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea’s cuisine is a unique combination of traditional and eccentric dishes, but is generally African with hints of Spanish influence. Foreign cuisine has not been known in the country for many years until the government through the Ministry for Social Affairs and Promotion of Women started conducting seminars on the acquisition of ideas about foreign cuisine. Restaurants in major cities now offer both Western and local dishes.

The country’s popular dishes include chicken prepared in peanut butter or cream sauce, served with rice or boiled plantain, and meat or fish grilled with crushed pumpkin seeds and wrapped in huge leaves. A dish enjoyed by all ethnic groups consists of a pepo soup made of meat or fish boiled with hot peppers, salt, African tea, fresh tomatoes, and small tropical leaves that add flavor to the dish. The meat of monkeys used to be a popular delicacy but is now banned by the government to preserve the monkey population in the country.

The so-called jollof is a traditional dish in the country. This is made of chicken savored with chopped green pepper, garlic, curry powder and dried shrimp. Some of the exotic meats that occasionally find their way to the dining table are those of the porcupine or chucku-chucku, deer, wild boar, antelope and sea tortoise. Used as common ingredients in cooking are ground nuts, particularly in the traditional tomato-peanut butter sauce that usually accompanies fish. Used to flavor meals are papaya, pineapple, banana and plantains, which also serve as compliment to the main course.

A variety of fresh fish and seafood is abundant in the country. This includes large tuna, groupers, breams, cod fish, hakes, and an assortment of smaller fish, lobster, shrimp, prawns, crabs, crayfish and oysters.

If one asks for customary drinks, he may be served with palm wine or malamba, an alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane.