Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Liberia

Ask what Liberia eats and the answer starts with this: rice with rich soups: palm butter, cassava leaf and potato greens, pepper-hot and palm-oil deep, with Americo-Liberian baking. Look for Palm butter (meat or fish simmered in creamy pressed palm-nut sauce, over rice), Cassava leaf (finely pounded cassava leaves with palm oil, meat and dried fish) and Potato greens (sweet-potato leaves fried with onions, peppers and meat; everyday favourite). Palm nuts are boiled and pounded, and the pressed cream simmered slowly with meat and fish; it is Liberia’s defining celebration dish. This atlas has 28 Liberia dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

28 dishes.

BitterballsBitterballssmall bitter African aubergines cooked in soups or eaten raw with saltCabbage stewCabbage stewShredded cabbage stewed with beef, chicken and tomato paste, served over riceCane juiceCane juicepotent home-distilled sugarcane spiritCassava leafCassava leaffinely pounded cassava leaves with palm oil, meat and dried fishCheck riceCheck ricerice cooked flecked with greens, eaten under graviesClub BeerClub Beerpale lager brewed in Monrovia, Liberia's own beerCountry chopCountry chopmixed greens, meat and fish cooked down together in palm oil, over riceDry meatDry meatsmoke-dried meat and fish, hard as wood, simmered soft in soupsDumboyDumboyboiled cassava pounded elastic, swallowed with pepper soupsFanti breadFanti breadDense sweet loaf sold in slices, eaten with roasted peanutsFufuFufuStiff cassava-corn flour swallow rolled to scoop stewsGeebeeGeebeeCassava pounded to a stiff dough, torn and dipped into soupGinger beerGinger beerSharp homemade drink of pounded fresh ginger, lime and sugarGoat soupGoat soupPeppery broth of goat meat and offal with hot pepper and seasoningJollof riceJollof riceRice steamed in smoky tomato-pepper stew base; fierce national prideKalaKalasweet fried dough puffs sold in the morningsKhanyanKhanyanFermented grated cassava mixed with roasted ground peanuts and cane sugarLiberian pepper sauceLiberian pepper saucehabanero pounded with onion, oil and seasoning, set on every tablePalm butterPalm buttermeat or fish simmered in creamy pressed palm-nut sauce, over ricePalm winePalm wineSweet-then-sour sap tapped from the oil palm, drunk the day it runsPeanut soupPeanut soupGroundnut paste simmered with meat, chilli and greens, eaten over ricePepper soupPepper soupfiery clear broth of goat or fish with country peppersPlantain chipsPlantain chipsgreen plantain sliced thin and fried crisp, sold in bagsPotato greensPotato greenssweet-potato leaves fried with onions, peppers and meat; everyday favouriteRice breadRice breaddense sweet loaf of rice flour and mashed bananaRoasted cornRoasted cornFresh maize cobs peeled and roasted over coals at the roadsideSweet potato poneSweet potato poneBaked pudding of grated sweet potato, coconut and spice, chewy at the edgesTorborgeeTorborgeesour, bitter palm-oil stew of dried fish, meat and bitterballs
  • Cane juice

    Potent home-distilled sugarcane spirit. A wine & spirit recipe from Liberia.

  • Bitterballs

    Small bitter African aubergines cooked in soups or eaten raw with salt. Ready in 15 minutes prep and 30 minutes…

  • Cabbage stew

    Shredded cabbage stewed with beef, chicken and tomato paste, served over rice. Ready in 20 min prep and 1 hr…

  • Check rice

    Rice cooked flecked with greens, eaten under gravies. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves 6. A…

  • Club Beer

    Pale lager brewed in Monrovia, Liberia’s own beer. A wine & spirit recipe from Liberia.

  • Country chop

    Mixed greens, meat and fish cooked down together in palm oil, over rice. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 1…

  • Dry meat

    Smoke-dried meat and fish, hard as wood, simmered soft in soups. A charcuterie & cured recipe from Liberia.

  • Dumboy

    Boiled cassava pounded elastic, swallowed with pepper soups. Ready in 20 min prep and 50 min cooking. 4 servings. A…

  • Fanti bread

    Dense sweet loaf sold in slices, eaten with roasted peanuts. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 50 minutes cooking. One…

  • Geebee

    Cassava pounded to a stiff dough, torn and dipped into soup. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 50 minutes cooking.…