Local, traditional food includes:
a dense millet porridge with an okra sauce, a pepper sauce, a tomato sauce, or a squash sauce on top, sometimes with veggies and a couple chunks of meat
rice with the above sauces
mushy macaroni pasta with an oily red sauce
rice & beans
corn cous-cous mixed with moringa leaves, black-eyed peas, and sauce called dumbou in Djera/Zarma, and only available in Djerma/Zarma regions
Availability varies widely by region, but visitors may wish to try the following delicious specialties, usually available as street food:
dumbou see above
kilishi: beef jerkey that comes in three flavors: regular, peanut-spiced, and hot-pepper-spiced
masa: delicious sourdough pancakes eaten with a peanut/hot pepper/ginger spice mix or a brown sauce
fari masa: fried dough balls served with either a squash/tomato salsa or sugar
chichena: like fari masa above, but made from bean flour instead of wheat flour
koudagou Djerma/Zarma: fried sweet potato chunks with sauce
Less exotic but also tasty:
brochettes â meat kabobs made from either beef, lamb, or goat
omelet sandwiches
mangoes: if in season, they are bigger and juicier than any available in the western world
yogurt: pasteurized, sweet, and available wherever there is a fridge
fried fish sandwiches
ground beef sandwiches
plates of garlicky green beans or peas usually in bars and restaurants
Careful of the salads â usually not ok for western travelers even in the city.
