What Types of Food Do People in Niger Eat?
People from Niger eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, grilled meats, fish, sauces, stews, salads, grains, maize, beans, porridge, dumplings and pizza. Nigerian dishes are influenced by African cuisine, and they tend to be heavily spiced, often with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and saffron.
A typical Nigerian meal consists of one starch, such as rice or millet, served with a sauce or a stew. Couscous is used as a starch on special occasions. Because meat is not readily available, people eat it infrequently. Most Nigerian soups and stews are made from vegetables. Some common ingredients are greens, beans, black-eyed peas, cassava root, onions, squash, palm nuts and yams. Popular fruits include pineapples, mangoes, bananas, grapefruits, limes, melons and oranges.
In the northern region of Niger, many of the people are Muslim, and they do not eat pork. Their diets consist largely of beans, brown rice and sorghum, which is a type of grain. Roasted meat kebabs are popular as well.
In the eastern region of Niger, yams, pumpkins and dumplings are common foods. In the central and southeast regions of Niger, spinach, okra and mashed yams are staples. Fish stews are very popular in areas near the ocean. Frequently, the fish is marinated in tomato, ginger and cayenne pepper before being cooked in peanut oil.
