Guinea-Bissauan cuisine

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Location of Guinea-Bissau Location Guinea Bissau AU Africa.svg
Location of Guinea-Bissau
People sharing a meal in Bissau, the capital. 20130610-DSC 9001 (9173913319) (2).jpg
People sharing a meal in Bissau, the capital.

Bissau-Guinean cuisine is the food culture of Guinea-Bissau, a nation on Africa's west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. Rice is a staple in the diet of residents near the coast and millet a staple in the interior. Much of the rice is imported and food insecurity is a problem [1] in large part due to coups, corruption and inflation. [2] Cashews are grown for export. [3] Coconut, palm nut, and olives are also grown. [4]

Contents

Fish, shellfish, fruits and vegetables are commonly eaten along with cereal grains, milk, curd and whey. The Portuguese encouraged peanut production. Vigna subterranea (Bambara groundnut) and Macrotyloma geocarpum (Hausa groundnut) are also grown. Black-eyed peas are also part of the diet. Palm oil is harvested.

Common dishes include soups and stews. Common ingredients include yams, sweet potato, cassava, onion, tomato and plantain. Spices, peppers and chilis are used in cooking, including Aframomum melegueta seeds (Guinea pepper).

Three main meals per day is common, at standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner times. [5]

Celebrations

September 12 is Amilcar Cabral's birthday, a celebration that includes the eating of yassa, chicken prepared with mustard, citrus and onion. Other holidays and festivals include Carnival in February, Colonization Martyr's Day on August 3, Readjustment Movement Day in November, Independence Day on September 24, Mocidade Day on December 1 and New Year Day.[ citation needed ]

Family ceremonies to mark birth, circumcision, marriage, and death are celebrated with palm wine or rum. Animal sacrifice is also performed. [6]

Dishes

References

  1. ↑ "Guinea - World Food Programme". Wfp.org. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Falling cashew exports raise hardship". Irinnews.org. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Hanusch, Marek. "Guinea-Bissau and the cashew economy" (PDF). MFM Practice Notes. World Bank. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "Guinea-Bissau - Tourist Maker". Touristmaker.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  5. ↑ Patsche, Cecilie Blenstrup; Rudolf, Frauke; da Silva Mendes, Antonio Mateus; da Cunha, Idalina; Gomes, Victor Francisco; Wejse, Christian; Jeppesen, Charlotte (December 2019). "Dietary intake in undernourished adults living in Guinea-Bissau; a cross-sectional study" (PDF). BMC Nutrition. 5 (1) 13. doi: 10.1186/s40795-019-0276-9 . PMID   32153926 . Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Culture of Guinea-Bissau - history, people, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage". Everyculture.com. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
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