Your Guide to African Ingredients: From Fufu to Jollof and Everything in Between

African cuisines use a rich variety of ingredients that might be new to you. Here’s a quick guide to some staples you’ll find at Imani Market and how they’re used.

Grains and starches

Fufu (from cassava, yam, or plantain) is a staple swallow served with soups and stews. Garri (cassava flakes) can be eaten with water, milk, or used in cooking. Yam flour, semovita, and pounded yam flour are also common for making swallow and other dishes.

Oils and pastes

Palm oil gives many West African dishes their color and flavor. Groundnut paste (peanut), egusi (melon seeds), and ogbono are used in soups and sauces. Shea butter is used in cooking and skincare.

Spices and seasonings

Suya spice, jollof seasoning, and smoked paprika appear in many recipes. Scotch bonnet and habanero peppers add heat. Locust beans (dawa dawa) and crayfish add depth to soups and stews.

Where to find them

Imani Market in Cedar Rapids stocks these and many more African ingredients. Visit us in store or shop online for delivery across Eastern Iowa. We’re here to help you explore and cook with confidence.

African cuisines use a rich variety of ingredients that might be new to you. Here’s a quick guide to some staples you’ll find at Imani Market and how they’re used.

Grains and starches

Oils and pastes

Palm oil gives many West African dishes their color and flavor. Groundnut paste (peanut), egusi (melon seeds), and ogbono are used in soups and sauces. Shea butter is used in cooking and skincare.

Spices and seasonings

Suya spice, jollof seasoning, and smoked paprika appear in many recipes. Scotch bonnet and habanero peppers add heat. Locust beans (dawa dawa) and crayfish add depth to soups and stews.