Experience the vibrant cuisine of west African, any night of the week!
"Chef Pierre Thiam offers an entry point into the cooking of a region that has been ignored by the mainstream food culture for way too long.” —Jessica B. Harris, culinary historian
This is West African food for every kitchen, a generous, warm welcome to its delicious, irresistible culinary mainstays and rhythms. If you already cook with ingredients like hearty greens, yams, black-eyed peas, and okra, or have enjoyed Southern staples like jambalaya and gumbo, you have tasted the deep culinary influences of this interconnected region that spans Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria, and more.
Now, in Simply West African, celebrated chef and West African cooking authority Pierre Thiam unlocks the region’s essential tastes for the everyday home cook. With helpful tips and tricks that teach readers the basics of the cuisine, Pierre shows how seamlessly these flavorful, easy-to-execute dishes can become weeknight staples or the star of your table for weekend gatherings. Introduce family and friends to:
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Familiar dishes with a distinctly West African vibe: Chicken Yassa Tacos; Saucy Shrimp and Fonio Grits; Maman’s Crispy Herb-Crusted Chicken; Blackened Salmon with Moyo Sauce
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One-pot crowd pleasers: Root Vegetable Mafe; Chicken Stew with Eggplant; Tomato, and Ginger; Braised Beef and Collard Greens
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Hearty vegetables and starchy soak-em-ups: Roasted Eggplant in Peanut Sauce; Double Coconut Rice and Peas; Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Mash
Praise for Simply West African
“Chef Pierre has a tender and intimate relationship with West African food that he shares with others generously. His passion seeps into his creations in such a way that when you take a bite of his food, that passion transfuses into you. While cooking is an art with a complex language, Chef Pierre has translated it simply in his new book, Simply West African. Now, we all get to generate that passion for ourselves. His recipe book is as welcoming as Senegal itself!”—Lupita Nyong’o
“A sprawling work of adoration for the cooking and cultures of West Africa condensed into 80 recipes that feel both accessible and penetratingly sincere. . . . The book’s wealth of information is an achievement in itself. But its greatest success lies in its constant reminders that no matter how far removed from the rest of the globe your kitchen may be, you’re never truly far from a new world of inspiration.”—Eater, “16 Best Cookbooks of Fall”
Published September 2023.