This book is part of the Cooking Around the World series. Each book in the series includes vibrant colour photographs, step by step instructions for low-fat and vegetarian recipes with a complete guide to creating individual menus. It will show you how to treat yourself, your family and friends to delicious authentic West African meals.

Review As with all good cookery books, the photographs are mouthwatering and the instructions really easy to follow. But there is much more to this thoughtfully produced book than recipes. It begins with an introduction to West Africa; the geography, people, food and festivals, all illustrated by beautiful colour photography.

The lives of West Africans vary greatly depending on their religion, ethnicity or whether they live in the city or country. Cooks work with whatever food they have available; when something is scarce a substitute is used. Stews and soups are made from a variety of vegetables and sometimes meat, poultry or fish are added. Because few people have a fridge, West African cooking is based on fresh foods; even in the cities, people go to the market every day.

The recipes in this book were collected from women in different countries all over West Africa and then adapted to Western taste. A useful section, Before You Begin introduces ingredients, utensils and cooking terms. Preparing a meal is a social event and may take up most of the day; there will be soup or stew served with starchy food, such as fufu (mashed sweet potatoes) or rice followed by fruit salad or a baked plantain. If this sounds dull, recipes and mouthwatering pictures will dispel this. They begin with a variety of snacks; peanut balls/Kulikuli, coconut crisps, sweet potato fritters/Ntoma Krako, Fufu. Vegetables are the basis of soups and stews; Okra Soup from Sierra Leone sounds particularly delicious as do Egusi Soup, made of pumpkin seeds, meat or fish, chillies, tomatoes and spinach.

The final recipes are for special occasions -- West Africans associate good times with wide variety of food to be eaten during festivals. This book will inspire young cooks and extend their repertoire to include unfamiliar simple and delicious menus.

2010-02-01