Central African Republic

The central african republic (car; sango: ködörösêse tî bêafrîka; french: république centrafricaine, rca; french: [ʁepyblik sɑ̃tʁafʁikɛn], or centrafrique, [sɑ̃tʁafʁik]) is a landlocked country in central africa. it is bordered by chad to the north, sudan to the northeast, south sudan to the southeast, the dr congo to the south, the republic of ...

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Featured Dishes from Central African Republic

Dessert, Sweet

Affogato

An affogato /ˌɑːfəˈɡɑːtəʊ/, /ˌæfəˈɡɑːtəʊ/ or more traditionally known as "affogato al caffe" (italian for "drowned in coffee") is an italian coffee-based dessert. it usually takes the form of a scoop of plain milk-flavored (fior di latte) or vanilla gelato or ice cream topped or "drowned" with a shot of hot espresso. some variations also include a shot of amaretto, bicerin, kahlua, or other liqueur.

Drink

Alexander

The alexander (or brandy alexander) is a cocktail consisting of cognac, cocoa liqueur (crème de cacao), and cream.

Main

Antelope

The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in africa and eurasia. antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous old world grazing and browsing hoofed mammals belonging to the family bovidae of the order artiodactyla.a stricter definition, also known as the "true antelopes," includes only the genera gazella, nanger, eudorcas and antilope. one north american species, the pronghorn, is colloquially referred to as the "american antelope," but it belongs to a different family than the african and eurasian antelopes. a group of antelope is called a herd. unlike deer antlers, which are shed and grown annually, antelope horns grow continuously.

Drink

Banana wine

Banana wine is a fruit wine made exclusively from bananas. it is different from banana beer, which has a long tradition and great cultural significance in east africa. blocker et al. (2001) wrote a chapter on "banana wine" in the book alcohol and temperance in modern history: an international encyclopedia, though this is slightly confusing, as they define what is traditionally referred to as banana beer as being banana wine. the data they present on production techniques and social practices and rituals relates to the latter and not to what is commonly known as banana wine. in tanzania, banana wine is made commercially by fermenting peeled, mashed, ripe bananas. water (to dilute the rather thick banana mash), wine yeast and sugar is added to the "banana mash".the traditional banana beer processing (as described in the banana beer page and in blocker et al. (2001)) is different from commercial banana wine processing. for example, the process of making banana wine used by banana investment ltd. is as follows: ripe bananas are peeled and put in plastic barrels filled with water. the barrel contents are then pressed (mashed) and banana mash transferred to large metal pots and boiled for several hours, forming a base of juice and pulp. the boiled banana mash is strained and sugar added to the leftover juice and boiled again. the boiled juice is left to cool. wine yeast is added to the cooled, sweetened banana juice and placed in plastic fermentation tanks for 15 to 20 days, depending on product. the fermented liquid is diluted with sterilized water, bottled and then shipped for distribution.in commercial production, ‘cavendish’ bananas are used, while in informal production, a variety of cultivars, including both cooking and beer east african highland bananas, ‘pisang awak’, ‘gros michel’ and apple bananas are used. commercially produced banana wine is a clear, slightly sparkling alcoholic beverage with a longer shelf-life than banana beer, which is spoiled easily and therefore not stored for long periods. depending on the strain of yeast and amount of sugar added, the sweetness and alcohol level in the final product is variable.production of banana wine is mostly at a small-scale level, though attempts have been made to bring it up to industrialized production, and there are commercial producers of banana wine (e.g. arusha-based banana investment ltd).since the early 2000s, attempts have been made to expand banana wine production to other countries where the crop is prevalent. the philippines government has sought to expand a local banana wine industry, while india has produced both award-winning banana wines and research into expanding production.

Breakfast

Beignet

Beignet ( ben-yay, also us: bayn-yay, ben-yay, french: [bɛɲɛ]; lit. 'bump') is a type of fritter, or deep-fried pastry, typically made from pâte à choux, but may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough. it is popular in french, italian and french-american cuisines.

Dessert, Sweet

Beignets de bananes

Beignet ( ben-yay, also us: bayn-yay, ben-yay, french: [bɛɲɛ]; lit. 'bump') is a type of fritter, or deep-fried pastry, typically made from pâte à choux, but may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough. it is popular in french, italian and french-american cuisines.

Main

Capitaine

The nile perch (lates niloticus), also known as the african snook, goliath perch, african barramundi , goliath barramundi, giant lates or the victoria perch, is a species of freshwater fish in family latidae of order perciformes. it is widespread throughout much of the afrotropical realm, being native to the congo, nile, senegal, niger and lake chad, volta, lake turkana, and other river basins. it also occurs in the brackish waters of lake maryut in egypt. the nile perch is a fish of substantial economic and food-security importance in east africa. originally described as labrus niloticus, among the marine wrasses, the species has also been referred to as centropomus niloticus. common names include african snook, victoria perch (a misleading trade name, as the species is not native to lake victoria, though they have been introduced there), and many local names in various african languages, such as the luo name mbuta or mputa. in tanzania, it is called sangara, sankara, or chenku. in francophone african countries, it is known as capitaine. its name in the hausa language is giwan ruwa, meaning "water elephant".

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cassava

Manihot esculenta, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names) is a woody shrub of the spurge family, euphorbiaceae, native to south america. although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. though it is often called yuca in parts of spanish america and in the united states, it is not related to yucca, a shrub in the family asparagaceae. cassava is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but substantial quantities are used to extract cassava starch, called tapioca, which is used for food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. the brazilian farinha, and the related garri of west africa, is an edible coarse flour obtained by grating cassava roots, pressing moisture off the obtained grated pulp, and finally drying it (and roasting both in the case of farinha and garri). cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize. cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. it is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils. nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, while thailand is the largest exporter of cassava starch. cassava is classified as either sweet or bitter. like other roots and tubers, both bitter and sweet varieties of cassava contain antinutritional factors and toxins, with the bitter varieties containing much larger amounts. it must be properly prepared before consumption, as improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication, goiters, and even ataxia, partial paralysis, or death. the more toxic varieties of cassava are a fall-back resource (a "food security crop") in times of famine or food insecurity in some places. farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves.

Drink

Cassava alcohol

Main

Chichinga

Grilled kebabs (beef, liver, chicken, goat) with a tankora (yaji) spice rub

Main

Crocodile

Crocodiles (family crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in africa, asia, the americas and australia. the term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to include all extant members of the order crocodilia, which includes the alligators and caimans (family alligatoridae), the gharial and false gharial (family gavialidae) among other extinct taxa. although they appear similar, crocodiles, alligators and the gharial belong to separate biological families. the gharial, with its narrow snout, is easier to distinguish, while morphological differences are more difficult to spot in crocodiles and alligators. the most obvious external differences are visible in the head, with crocodiles having narrower and longer heads, with a more v-shaped than a u-shaped snout compared to alligators and caimans. another obvious trait is that the upper and lower jaws of the crocodiles are the same width, and the teeth in the lower jaw fall along the edge or outside the upper jaw when the mouth is closed; therefore, all teeth are visible, unlike an alligator, which possesses in the upper jaw small depressions into which the lower teeth fit. also, when the crocodile's mouth is closed, the large fourth tooth in the lower jaw fits into a constriction in the upper jaw. for hard-to-distinguish specimens, the protruding tooth is the most reliable feature to define the species' family. crocodiles have more webbing on the toes of the hind feet and can better tolerate saltwater due to specialized salt glands for filtering out salt, which are present, but non-functioning, in alligators. another trait that separates crocodiles from other crocodilians is their much higher levels of aggression.crocodile size, morphology, behaviour and ecology differ somewhat among species. however, they have many similarities in these areas as well. all crocodiles are semiaquatic and tend to congregate in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water and saltwater. they are carnivorous animals, feeding mostly on vertebrates such as fish, reptiles, birds and mammals, and sometimes on invertebrates such as molluscs and crustaceans, depending on species and age. all crocodiles are tropical species that, unlike alligators, are very sensitive to cold. they separated from other crocodilians during the eocene epoch, about 55 million years ago. many species are at the risk of extinction, some being classified as critically endangered.

Main

Egusi

Egusi soup is a soup prepared with egusi seeds as a primary ingredient. egusi seeds are the fat- and protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous (squash, melon, gourd) plants. egusi soup is common and prevalent across central africa, and may be served atop rice, cooked vegetables, or grilled meat, such as goat, chicken, beef, or fish. it may also be served atop fufu, omelettes, amala, and eba, among other foods. egusi soup is also consumed in west africa, sometimes with chicken.

Drink

Export

Main

Freshwater shrimp

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fruit

Bananas, oranges, plantains, pineapples

Drink

Ginger beer

Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. current ginger beers are often manufactured rather than brewed, frequently with flavour and colour additives, with artificial carbonation. ginger ales are not brewed. ginger beer's origins date from the colonial spice trade with the orient and the sugar-producing islands of the caribbean. it was popular in britain and its colonies from the 18th century. other spices were variously added and any alcohol content was limited to 2% by excise tax laws in 1855. few brewers have maintained an alcoholic product.ginger beer is still produced at home using a symbiotic colony of yeast and a lactobacillus (bacteria) known as a "ginger beer plant" or from a "ginger bug" starter created from fermenting ginger, sugar, and water.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Gozo

Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou) is a dough-like food found in west african cuisine. in addition to ghana, it is also found in sierra leone, guinea, liberia, cote d'ivoire, benin, togo, nigeria, cameroon, the democratic republic of congo, the central african republic, the republic of congo, angola and gabon. it is often made in the traditional ghanaian, ivorian, liberian, and cuban method of separately mixing and pounding equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam, or by mixing cassava/plantains or cocoyam flour with water and stirring it on a stove. the viscosity is then adjusted based on personal preference and eaten with broth-like soups. some countries, particularly nigeria, have a version of fufu made from fermented cassava dough (called akpu by nigerians) that is eaten with thick textured stews. other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains may take the place of cassava flour. fufu is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

Main

Gozo

Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou) is a dough-like food found in west african cuisine. in addition to ghana, it is also found in sierra leone, guinea, liberia, cote d'ivoire, benin, togo, nigeria, cameroon, the democratic republic of congo, the central african republic, the republic of congo, angola and gabon. it is often made in the traditional ghanaian, ivorian, liberian, and cuban method of separately mixing and pounding equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam, or by mixing cassava/plantains or cocoyam flour with water and stirring it on a stove. the viscosity is then adjusted based on personal preference and eaten with broth-like soups. some countries, particularly nigeria, have a version of fufu made from fermented cassava dough (called akpu by nigerians) that is eaten with thick textured stews. other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains may take the place of cassava flour. fufu is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Grain

Corn (maize), millet, rice, sorghum

Main

Grilled meat

Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above, below or from the side. grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat and vegetables quickly. food to be grilled is cooked on a grill (an open wire grid such as a gridiron with a heat source above or below), using a cast iron/frying pan, or a grill pan (similar to a frying pan, but with raised ridges to mimic the wires of an open grill). heat transfer to the food when using a grill is primarily through thermal radiation. heat transfer when using a grill pan or griddle is by direct conduction. in the united states, when the heat source for grilling comes from above, grilling is called broiling. in this case, the pan that holds the food is called a broiler pan, and heat transfer is through thermal radiation. direct heat grilling can expose food to temperatures often in excess of 260 °c (500 °f). grilled meat acquires a distinctive roast aroma and flavor from a chemical process called the maillard reaction. the maillard reaction only occurs when foods reach temperatures in excess of 155 °c (310 °f).studies have shown that cooking beef, pork, poultry, and fish at high temperatures can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines, benzopyrenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are carcinogens.marination may reduce the formation of these compounds. grilling is often presented as a healthy alternative to cooking with oils, although the fat and juices lost by grilling can contribute to drier food.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Insects

Insects as food or edible insects are insect species used for human consumption, e.g., whole or as an ingredient in processed food products such as burger patties, pasta, or snacks.

Drink

John Collins

A john collins is a cocktail which was attested in 1869, but may be older. it is believed to have originated with a headwaiter of that name who worked at limmer's old house in conduit street in mayfair, which was a popular london hotel and coffee house around 1790–1817.

Main

Kanda

Meatballs made with beef, ground pumpkin seeds, onion, garlic, serve with tomato sauce, peanut sauce

Drink

Karkanji

Hibiscus flower and ginger drink

Main

Liboke ya poisson

Fish liboke, fish cooked in banana leaves with vegetables, greens and spices

Main

Moambe stew

Stew with palm oil or palm cream, vegetables, meat, fish

Drink

Mocaf

Main

Monkey

Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder simiiformes, also known as the simians. traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, a grouping known as paraphyletic; however, in the broader sense based on cladistics, apes (hominoidea) are also included, making the terms monkeys and simians synonyms in regards to their scope.in 1812, geoffroy grouped the apes and the cercopithecidae group of monkeys together and established the name catarrhini, "old world monkeys", ("singes de l'ancien monde" in french). the extant sister of the catarrhini in the monkey ("singes") group is the platyrrhini (new world monkeys). some nine million years before the bifurcation between the cercopithecidae and the apes, the platyrrhini emerged within "monkeys" by migration to south america from afro-arabia (the old world), likely by ocean. the apes are thus deep in the tree of extant and extinct monkeys, and any of the apes is distinctly closer related to the cercopithecidae than the platyrrhini are. many monkey species are tree-dwelling (arboreal), although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. most species are mainly active during the day (diurnal). monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent, especially the old world monkeys. within suborder haplorhini, the simians are a sister group to the tarsiers – the two members bifurcated some 60 million years ago. new world monkeys and catarrhine monkeys emerged within the simians roughly 35 million years ago. old world monkeys and apes emerged within the catarrhine monkeys about 25 million years ago. extinct basal simians such as aegyptopithecus or parapithecus (35–32 million years ago) are also considered monkeys by primatologists.lemurs, lorises, and galagos are not monkeys; instead they are strepsirrhine primates (suborder strepsirrhini). the simians' sister group, the tarsiers, are also haplorhine primates; however, they are also not monkeys. apes emerged within "monkeys" as sister of the cercopithecidae in the catarrhini, so cladistically they are monkeys as well. there has been resistance to directly designate apes (and thus humans) as monkeys, so "old world monkey" may be taken to mean either the cercopithecoidea (not including apes) or the catarrhini (including apes). that apes are monkeys was already realized by georges-louis leclerc, comte de buffon in the 18th century. linnaeus placed this group in 1758 together with the tarsiers, in a single genus "simia" (sans homo), an ensemble now recognised as the haplorhini.monkeys, including apes, can be distinguished from other primates by having only two pectoral nipples, a pendulous penis, and a lack of sensory whiskers.

Drink

Palm wine

Palm wine, known by several local names, is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, date palms, and coconut palms. it is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts of africa, the caribbean, south america, south asia, southeast asia and micronesia. palm wine production by smallholders and individual farmers may promote conservation as palm trees become a source of regular household income that may economically be worth more than the value of timber sold.

Dessert, Sweet

Peanut butter rice

Main

Peanut butter rice

Main

Peanut sauce

Peanut stew or groundnut stew, also called as maafe (wolof, mafé, maffé, maffe), sauce d'arachide (french), tigadèguèna or domoda, is a stew that is a staple food in western africa. it originates from the mandinka and bambara people of mali.the proper name for it in the mandinka language is domodah or tigadegena (lit. 'peanut butter sauce,' where tige is 'peanut,' dege is 'paste,' and na is 'sauce') in bamanankan.domodah is also used by gambians, having been borrowed from the mandinka language. in senegal domodah or domoda referts to flour-thickened soup or stew, which is different from mafe that uses peanut paste. it is a favorite dish among several senegal and gambia ethnic groups. with the huge expansion of groundnut cultivation during the colonial period, maafe has also become a popular dish across west africa, even outside west africa such as in cameroon and france. variants of the dish appear in the cuisine of nations throughout west africa and central africa. it is very similar to groundnut soup. it may have a thicker consistency. made from lamb, beef, chicken, or without meat, maafe is cooked with a sauce based on groundnuts, especially peanut butter/paste, and tomatoes. in ghana, groundnut stew is often accompanied with fufu.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Rice

Rice is the seed of the grass species oryza sativa (asian rice) or less commonly oryza glaberrima (african rice). the name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera zizania and porteresia, both wild and domesticated, although the term may also be used for primitive or uncultivated varieties of oryza. as a cereal grain, domesticated rice is the most widely consumed staple food for over half of the world's human population, especially in asia and africa. it is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production, after sugarcane and maize. since sizable portions of sugarcane and maize crops are used for purposes other than human consumption, rice is the most important food crop with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans. there are many varieties of rice and culinary preferences tend to vary regionally. the traditional method for cultivating rice is flooding the fields while, or after, setting the young seedlings. this simple method requires sound irrigation planning but reduces the growth of less robust weed and pest plants that have no submerged growth state, and deters vermin. while flooding is not mandatory for the cultivation of rice, all other methods of irrigation require higher effort in weed and pest control during growth periods and a different approach for fertilizing the soil. rice, a monocot, is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a ratoon crop for up to 30 years. rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. however, rice can be grown practically anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area with the use of water-controlling terrace systems. although its parent species are native to asia and certain parts of africa, centuries of trade and exportation have made it commonplace in many cultures worldwide. production and consumption of rice is estimated to have been responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010.

Drink

Sorghum beer

Main

Stewed chicken

Main

Stewed greens

Stewed cassava leaves, kale, malakwang, blackjack, goosefoot, marogo, pigweed, purslane, thistle, sweet potato leaves, malanga, pumpkin leaves, njama njama, spinach

Main

Stewed plantains

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vegetables

Cassava, chilies, garlic, greens, mushrooms, okra, onions, peanuts, sesame, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tubers, yams

Main

Warthog

Phacochoerus is a genus in the family suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced wart-hog). they are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-saharan africa. the two species were formerly considered conspecific under the scientific name phacochoerus aethiopicus, but today this is limited to the desert warthog, while the best-known and most widespread species, the common warthog (or simply warthog), is phacochoerus africanus. although covered in bristly hairs, their bodies and heads appear largely naked from a distance, with only the crest along the back, and the tufts on their cheeks and tails being obviously haired. the english name refers to their facial wattles, which are particularly distinct in males. they also have very distinct tusks, which reach a length of 10 to 25 inches (25 to 64 centimetres) in the males, but are always smaller in the females. they are largely herbivorous, but occasionally also eat small animals. while both species remain fairly common and widespread, and therefore are considered to be of least concern by the iucn, the nominate subspecies of the desert warthog, commonly known as the cape warthog, became extinct around 1865.

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