Holiday Ayo - The staple ingredients of the Malian diet include rice, sorghum and millet that are cooked in a variety of different ways. Many dishes of Mali use sauces and grains as their major components, where sauce is the key for enhancing the flavour, grains are the foundation of the meal.

For drinking, there is a great range of traditional fresh fruit juices including banana and mango as the majority of Malian population is Muslim and so they prefer to drink fruit juices to alcohol.

1. Tiguadege Na

source: Travel Food Atlas

Tiguadege Na is the national dish of Mali that is prepared with lamb or chicken. The word ‘Tiguadege Na’ basically means ‘meat in peanut butter sauce’. 

This peanut butter stew is extremely delicious and rich in texture. Large chunks of potatoes and carrots are added to enhance the flavour of this amazing dish. Although making this dish is time consuming, the final product is definitely worth the wait.

2. La Capitaine Sangha

source: Nomads Unveiled

La Capitaine Sangha is another one of Mali’s signature dishes. It is prepared with Nile perch fish and is served with whole fried bananas, rice and hot chilli sauce. 

Nile perch has a moist and medium-firm texture and is mild flavoured. The raw fillets of Nile perch are pinkish in colour but once cooked, they give a snow-white appearance.

3. Poulet Yassa

source: Simply Recipes

Poulet Yassa is a scrumptious West African comfort food. This mouth-watering dish is made with chicken that is marinated in the mixture of onion-lemon-vinegar.

The chicken is then cooked down into a completely delectable sweet, spicy and lemony sauce with lots and lots of caramelized onions and the resultant dish is super amazing. It is served hot with plain, white rice that soaks up all the delicious sauce.

4. Labadja

source: Travel Food Atlas

Labadja consists of a mixture of minced meat and boiled rice in a butter sauce. This dish is traditionally eaten on festivals such as Eid. The meat of the animals that are sacrificed during this festival, is then used to prepare this flavorful dish.

5. Couscous

source: Spotcovery

Couscous is a type of pasta that is made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour. It is one of the fastest, easiest and most versatile side dishes that can be made. It goes wonderfully with stews and saucy main courses.