West African cuisine is gaining a foothold in Sacramento, appearing in tucked-away kitchens and family-run spots and introducing diners to dishes long familiar across the region.
The cuisine is defined by a few typical dishes. Universal throughout the region is jollof rice, made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, spices, vegetables and often one or more meats. Senegal claims its origins, but every country asserts that theirs is the best while guarding their recipes like a state secret.
Also pervasive is the combination of some kind of starchy paste, referred to in Nigeria as a “swallow,” paired with a soup for dunking. Fufu is the most common of these dishes, often made from yam…