Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Gabon

Gabon’s food is built around palm-nut nyembwe sauces, smoky odika stews, cassava sticks and forest fruits like atanga. Look for Nyembwe chicken (chicken stewed in palm-nut cream, often with smoked flavors; national dish), Odika sauce (meat or fish stewed with smoky wild-mango-kernel bush chocolate) and Cassava sticks (dense fermented cassava sticks steamed in leaves). Gabon’s national dish, chicken simmered in pulp pressed from oil palm fruit; nyembwe is the Myene word for that palm sauce. This atlas has 24 Gabon dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

24 dishes.

AtangaAtangaBoiled bush-butter fruit, salted, spread on baguetteBeignetsBeignetshot fried dough balls sold from market braziersBrochettesBrochettesCharcoal beef or mutton skewers with mustard and chiliCassava leaf stewCassava leaf stewPounded cassava leaves with palm oil and smoked fishCassava sticksCassava sticksDense fermented cassava sticks steamed in leavesChenillesChenillesForest caterpillars dried or fried, eaten by the handful with cassavaCoupé-coupéCoupé-coupéRoadside chopped grilled meat, often stuffed into baguetteEscargotsEscargotsGiant land snails skewered and grilled with chili at roadside braziersFolonFolonAmaranth leaves stewed with palm oil and smoked fishFried plantainsFried plantainsGolden plantain slices served beside stewsGrilled fishGrilled fishFresh catch grilled over coals with chili and limeJus de gingembreJus de gingembreBlended fresh ginger with water, sugar and lemon, served fiery and very coldKola nutKola nutBitter caffeine-rich seed chewed slowly and offered to guests on arrivalMabokéMabokéRiver fish seasoned and steamed in folded leaf parcels over embersMalambaMalambaFermented sugarcane drinkMets de pistacheMets de pistacheGround squash seeds steamed in leaf parcels into a dense savoury loafNyembwe chickenNyembwe chickenChicken stewed in palm-nut cream, often with smoked flavours; national dishOdika sauceOdika sauceMeat or fish stewed with smoky wild-mango-kernel bush chocolatePalm winePalm wineSweet-then-sour sap tapped from the oil palm, drunk the day it runsPili piliPili piliCrushed hot chili paste set on the table beside every dishPoisson braiséPoisson braiséChari River capitaine grilled over coals with chili, onion and limePoisson saléPoisson saléSalted dried fish soaked and simmered into sauces for depthPorc-épicPorc-épicBrush-tailed porcupine smoked then stewed in bush-mango or palm sauceViande boucanéeViande boucanéeBush meat smoked hard over wood so it survives the journey to market

  • Escargots

    Giant land snails skewered and grilled with chili at roadside braziers. Ready in 40 min prep and 1 hr 15…

  • Odika sauce

    Meat or fish stewed with smoky wild-mango-kernel bush chocolate. Ready in 25 min prep and 1 hr 40 min cooking.…

  • Atanga

    Boiled bush-butter fruit, salted, spread on baguette. Ready in 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes cooking. Serves 4. A snack…

  • Beignets

    Hot fried dough balls sold from market braziers. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min cooking. About 30. A…

  • Cassava leaf stew

    Pounded cassava leaves with palm oil and smoked fish. Ready in 1 hour prep and 2 hours cooking. Serves 8.…

  • Cassava sticks

    Dense fermented cassava sticks steamed in leaves. Ready in 1 hour prep and 1 hour cooking. About 12 sticks. A…

  • Chenilles

    Forest caterpillars dried or fried, eaten by the handful with cassava. Ready in 30 min prep and 40 min cooking.…

  • Coupé-coupé

    Roadside chopped grilled meat, often stuffed into baguette. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 40 minutes cooking. Serves 6. A…

  • Folon

    Amaranth leaves stewed with palm oil and smoked fish. Ready in 20 min prep and 45 min cooking. 6 servings.…

  • Fried plantains

    Golden plantain slices served beside stews. Ready in 10 minutes prep and 15 minutes cooking. Serves 4. A salad &…