South African bobotie with custard topping
Cape Malay classic — sweet-and-savoury spiced minced beef baked under a golden, savoury custard. Fragrant with bay, turmeric and curry, with little pops of tart fruit.
Bunny chow (South African curry bread bowl)
A hollowed-out half-loaf of bread filled with fiery mutton curry. Durban's most iconic street food — invented by Indian sugar-cane workers in the 1940s.
Butternut squash curry (West African-style)
A rich, fragrant West African curry with tender chunks of butternut squash in a spiced tomato and coconut sauce. Hearty, plant-based, comforting.
Chakalaka (South African vegetable relish)
A vibrant, spicy tomato-based vegetable relish with beans and peppers. South Africa's favourite braai side dish — equally good cold the next day.
Doro wat (Ethiopian chicken stew)
Ethiopia's national dish — chicken stewed slowly in a fiery berbere spice blend with hard-boiled eggs and niter kibbeh. Served on injera.
Egusi soup (West African melon seed soup)
A rich, nutty West African soup made from ground melon seeds, leafy greens and protein. Served with pounded yam, fufu or rice.
Nigerian jollof rice with chicken
The iconic West African one-pot party rice — long-grain rice steamed in a fiery tomato-pepper stew with scotch bonnet and thyme. Every Nigerian family has their own version; this one leans smoky and deep.
Misir wat (Ethiopian red lentils)
Spicy red lentil stew cooked slowly with berbere and niter kibbeh. The Ethiopian fast-day classic — vegan when made with oil.
Pilau rice (East African-style)
Fragrant basmati rice cooked with toasted whole spices, caramelised onions and a little stock. East Africa's answer to biryani — lighter, brighter.
Suya (West African spiced beef skewers)
Spiced beef skewers grilled over charcoal with a crunchy peanut-spice crust. The West African street food classic from Nigeria, Ghana and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about making African fakeaway at home.
What is African fakeaway food?
Jollof rice (West Africa), bobotie (South Africa), suya (Nigeria), tagine (North Africa), injera with stews (Ethiopia and Eritrea), peri-peri chicken (Mozambique and Portugal), bunny chow (South Africa).
Which African cuisine is the most popular in the UK?
West African (Nigerian and Ghanaian) and North African (Moroccan, Egyptian) are the most established in UK cities. South African restaurants are common in London. East African (Ethiopian, Eritrean, Somali) is well-represented too.
What is jollof rice and how spicy is it?
A West African one-pot rice dish cooked in a tomato-pepper-onion base with spices. The level of heat depends on the cook, the Nigerian and Ghanaian versions can be quite different. It is the centrepiece of any West African table.
Is African food spicy?
Often yes, many African cuisines use Scotch bonnets, peri-peri, berbere and harissa. But not everything is hot; jollof rice can be mild, bobotie is sweet and warming rather than spicy, Egyptian food is gentler than North African neighbours.