Fonio, sorghum, teff… Did you know that Africa has more indigenous grains than any other continent?
This information may come as a surprise, buried as it is under the stories we are perhaps more used to hearing about the continent’s struggles with malnourishment and food insecurity.
But in fact, Africa is a cornucopia full of nutritious, versatile and, frankly, delicious indigenous foods — ones that could each play a vital role in fostering more resilient food systems on the continent.
In an increasingly fractured world, where supply shocks and events like the war in Ukraine disrupt wheat imports and threaten the smooth functioning of our global food system, these local treasures are key for communities to thrive.
That’s precisely the topic of Euronews’ brand new podcast, launching 28 October.
Discover “The Star Ingredient”, a documentary cooking show hosted by Euronews journalist, Tokunbo Salako, that will take you on a culinary tour across Africa and Europe.
There we’ll meet the chefs and local communities on a mission to recover and revive these indigenous ingredients.
Click here to subscribe to The Star Ingredient.
A new culinary podcast
Our new show will take you inside the home of renowned chef, Pierre Thiam, to cook with fonio, the ‘West African miracle grain’.
From there, we will navigate the teeming bustle of a Lagos food market with Nigeria’s budding culinary star, chef Moyo Odunfa. She’ll be hunting for the best bambara groundnuts and talking up her mission to put Nigerian food on the haute cuisine map.
And that is not all! Along the way we will travel to rural Burundi, to share a meal with the communities that venerate sorghum, a nutrient dense, gluten-free grain that could easily rival quinoa.
We’ll follow chef Ska Moteane as she journeys through Lesotho, continuing her life’s work sourcing and recording her country’s traditional recipes that are in danger of being lost.
Taking a detour to Europe, we’ll trek through the forests of Italy with chef Eleonora Matarrese, to explore how foraging can play its part in more resilient food systems.
These are just some of the personalities and foodies that will accompany you as we take a close and mouth-watering look at food; the red thread connecting not only our health and survival, but connecting us also to our culture, our habits, and our identity.
And if that’s not enough? Each episode will arm you with a unique recipe featuring one of our chosen star ingredients, so you can join in the fun, pull out the pots and pans, and whip up a show-stopper meal when you’re done listening.
Subscribe to The Star Ingredient on your favourite podcast app or find it on euronews.com or africanews.com from October 28.
This project was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the Solutions Journalism Accelerator. This fund is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
