Vegetables
Sun-loving vegetables grow easily in West Africa. among this list are:
bell peppers,
- tomatoes,
- okra,
- herbs,
- onions,and tough greens such as
- mustard,
- cassava leaves,
- potato leaves,
- jute leaves, and
- cabbage. (Note: this list is not exhaustive).
These are the main components of cooked stews, rice dishes and sides. At Bintimani, we utilize the vegetable-loving tradition of West Africa in our dishes.
At the same time, we don't underestimate the importance of starches. Although salads are not very popular in West Africa, the idea of salad incorporation into our diet is slowly gaining ground as part of the daily food consumption regiment.
This is especially true for West Africans who have live outside of the continent for sometime, and for those who consider themselves a little more informed; and the internet has a lot to do with this as well.
Although you will readily find fresh vegetables at the market, you're not likely to be served a big side of them. Starchy vegetables and legumes, for example, peas, corn and beans, often accompany the carbohydrate-heavy rice dishes.
The use of starches as the base filler is characteristic of every West African nation. The reason is simple. West African are mostly ambulatory. We walk, not drive, from point A to point B. We farm predominatly with our hands, not with machines. So we need the energy derived from carbohidrates in starch.
Starchy plants are plentiful and easy to grow, which makes them inexpensive. They provide simple carbohydrates for a quick energy source and also expand in the stomach somewhat, easing hunger with less food.
