Easter Flavours from Africa & Beyond

Roasts, Pies, Rice, Spuds & more delicious things for Easter with links, recipes & page numbers to find them in Africana Cookbook

Do you ever feel frozen in time over the winter months, only starting to bloom in the spring?

That’s me, every year. And now, I’m blooming. Spring has officially sprung! I’m choosing to ignore the recent chill in the London air because the sun is out to play, and it’s spring in my heart.

This energy isn’t just mine, the season seems to awaken something in all of us. Psychologically and physiologically, spring stirs us to get up and go, to clean, to move more, and to revive those dreams winter may have put to rest.

Lately, I’ve been nourishing myself, more than I have done in months. With food that brings both comfort and joy, and I’m excited to share some of it with you. From old favourites to bold, new flavours and creative twists on the classics, these dishes are inspired by the recipes in my cookbook Africana, and by the diverse food cultures of Africa and its global diaspora.

Celebrating Easter with New Traditions & Endless Possibilities

Easter is just around the corner, and while many of us love to honour the traditional dishes of the season, it’s also the perfect time to try something new, to create your own traditions, rooted in joy, flavour, and curiosity.

Would you believe I still haven’t decided what I want to eat for Easter?

Not for lack of ideas, quite the opposite. The problem is, I want to eat everything. Senegalese Herby Lamb Roast in Jollof, Roasted Cassava, Plantains, Fish Yassa, Pastilla, Hibiscus Chocolate Orange Cake and more.

But while I’m deciding what to cook and when, I’ve gathered some of my favourite seasonal dishes for you to explore, from comforting roasts, vibrant veggie dishes to salads and show-stopping desserts.

Let this be the season where you cook boldly, nourish joyfully, and embrace the flavours of spring, African style of course.

What will you be cooking for Easter?

A Few Favourites to Try

These are a few of my favourite recipes for spring and Easter. Many are in your copy of Africana Cookbook, and some in national newspapers and magazines. The links to the recipes will be provided below.

For dessert

Hibiscus Chocolate Orange Cake page 230) - Picture below by Josh, a member of our community who has almost baked the entire dessert section of the book. Look at that stunner! Moist, tangy, deeply chocolatey and delicious.

Malva Pudding (page 240)

If It's Good Enough For Elephants

Easter Sides & Salad

• Smoky Jollof (206)

• Seafood Jollof (208)

• Saffron Potatoes & Peas

• Herb Salad with apricots & Hibiscus Orange Dressing (162)

• Chakalaka (189)

Good Friday Fish

Coconut Fish Curry with Scotch Bonnet & Makrut Lime Leaves

Cover Girl Curry

Easter Main

This dish will save you a lot of time as it is two dishes in one. Lamb stuffed with Senegalese green sauce called Rof is roasted in the vibrant jollof sauce and subsequently cooked in the jollof rice itself. The lamb is also glazed with sweet and tangy tamarind while also imparting its flavours into the jollof rice. The use of rosemary and fennel seeds add a vibrant and fragrant aroma and flavour to the dish. If you will like to keep it meat free, reduce the water/stock used and adjust cooking time as needed.

Nigerian Meat Pie ~ my photo from the book shot (recipe in Africana)

I made a pithivier shaped French inspired Nigerian meat pie for Tesco. Check it out here. I’d love this for Easter, full of flavour and good crowd pleaser.

A Nigerian Pithivier Pie

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