Nigerian vs Mexican food & cuisine

Cowpeas and peanuts are protein sources, as meat and fish are rarely affordable.  Okra and leafy greens frequently appear in soups, and palm oil is essentially the foundation of southern Nigerian cooking.

Some of the most popular rice dishes are coconut rice, fried rice, plain boiled rice, and the iconic jollof rice.

Nigerian Jollof rice announces itself from across the room – its deep red color catches the eye and rich aroma fills every corner.

Millet and sorghum are important in the northern part, where they’re pounded, fermented, or ground into flour for porridge, dumplings, flatbreads, and beverages.

Grain fermentation is embedded in African food traditions, especially across West, East, and Southern Africa. Why ferment grains? For preservation, at first, but also to improve tanginess, digestibility, and an elastic texture.

Corn is Nigeria is boiled as corn on the cob, roasted, ground into flour for tuwo masara (a type of swallow food made from corn flour), and processed into snacks.

Wheat is not indigenous but is increasingly popular, especially in urban and northern diets. Primarily used for making soft, stretchy bread, swallow foods, pasta, fried dough snacks, and more modern dishes.

Fonio is less common today but still significant in some northern regions. It’s cooked into porridge (tuwo acha), couscous-like dishes, or thick gruels.

Wheat, introduced by the Spanish, thrives in northern Mexico and appears in tortillas, empanadas, sauces, pasta, and breads such as pan dulce, bolillos, and conchas.

Rice is a staple side paired with beans. The classic preparation is arroz rojo (red rice) or arroz mexicano, where fluffy grains are cooked with tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

Other ancient grains like chia and quinoa aren’t as common, but they’ve got deep roots in Mexican cooking. Chia seeds used to fuel Aztec warriors back in the day, and you’ll still find them in drinks like agua fresca de chía.

Yam is used in similar ways – mostly as a starchy base, but typically prepared fresh (boiled, pounded, or fried) than fermented. Taro, also known as cocoyam, is used as a soup thickener or as a snack of slightly nutty flavor and a slimy texture when cooked.

These root vegetables represent a significant departure from what most Western palates grow up with, but less about the taste, more about texture and how they’re eaten.

Beans are huge in Nigerian cuisine; they are complete meals, street food staples.  Nigerian cooks handle beans differently from Western cuisine; they often remove the skins entirely, which creates incredibly smooth textures. The most famous has to be akara – golden, crispy bean fritters.

Locust beans are the secret weapon flavor. These fermented seeds are like the MSG (monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer) of West Africa.

Other than starchy roots and pulses, leafy greens are important: ugu (fluted pumpkin), bitterleaf, waterleaf, and efo tete (amaranth) form the base of soups. Onions, peppers (especially Scotch bonnet), and tomatoes are the backbone of most stews and jollof-style sauces.

Avocados are the green gold of Mexico – creamy, nutty flesh pairs well with spicy tacos and sandwiches. Guacamole has been made since Aztec times, though the original version was mashed avocados.

Little foods come without chiles in Mexico – the country has about 64 different species, with hundreds of varieties. Some of the most known varieties are fresh – jalapeño, poblano, chilaca, mirasol, serrano, habanero, chile de árbol and some dried – chipotle (dried and smoked jalapeño), ancho (dried poblano), mulato (a darker dried poblano), pasilla (dried chilaca), guajillo (dried mirasol). Dried chiles are integral to sauces such as mole, as well as in salsas and marinades.

Other staple vegetables of Mexico include beans, squash, tomatoes, tomatillos, Mexican husk tomatoes, nopales (cactus pads), chayote (a green, pear-shaped vegetable with a crisp texture and a mild, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor), and jicama, a Mexican turnip.

Many tropical fruits are grown in Mexico –  limes, mangoes, papayas, platanos, guavas, soursop (anona), prickly pears, mameys (sweet and creamy oval-shaped fruit described as a mix of sweet potato, pumpkin, and apricot), blackberries, black sapotes, pitayas, passion fruits, star fruits. Also, many regional, exotic, limited, and intensely flavored fruits.  Fresh lime is a symbol of Mexican cuisine, a key ingredient, and an essential table staple.

Wild animals hunted for food, like grasscutter (greater cane rat), antelope, guinea fowl, monkey, or porcupine, are the bushmeats that supplement traditional meats, often smoked or dried to preserve and concentrate flavor. They’re less available due to hunting restrictions and conservation laws.

Large African land snails are a luxury protein, with high demand during festive seasons. Those snails are huge, with some reaching up to 20 centimeters in length and 9 centimeters in diameter. Snails are stewed with peppers,  garlic, onions, and ground crayfish.

In northern Mexico, due to its ranching tradition, beef is more prominent, think carne asada (grilled meat) and machaca (dried spiced beef of pork). Coastal regions rely more on seafood; in central and southern Mexico, pork and chicken are common. Mexican cooks are masters at taking cheaper cuts and elevating them. Barbacoa – once slow-cooked in agave-lined pits – still reflects that patient tradition. Cochinita pibil marinates pork in achiote and sour orange, then wraps it in banana leaves until it melts. Birria takes goat or beef and transforms it with hours of simmering in chiles and spices.

Dried and smoked fish are probably the most distinctive. You’ll find these rock-hard, intensely flavored fish in almost every soup and stew. They’re not meant to be eaten as chunks but more like natural bouillon cubes that dissolve into the dish.

Fresh fish definitely has its place too, especially in coastal areas. Grilled fish (often tilapia or catfish) served with pepper sauce is a restaurant favorite, and fish stew with fresh tomatoes and peppers is a classic home dish.

Condensed milk and evaporated milk are the most widespread products – in tea, coffee, and desserts, it was imported during colonial times and stuck around.

Milk and dairy are not as ubiquitous. Cheese, such as queso fresco, is more commonly used than milk or cream in traditional Mexican cooking. Additionally, cotija cheese, an aged, salty, and crumbly cow’s milk cheese, pairs well with tacos, enchiladas, and tostadas. Dairy-based dishes and beverages, such as horchata and flan, are more common in certain regions or as part of specific celebratory meals rather than nationwide staples.

Nuts and seeds are significant proteins in vegetarian dishes, also natural thickeners. Peanuts are ground into pastes, roasted as snacks, and used in the preparation of suya spice blends. Melon seeds (egusi), pumpkin seeds, are used extensively.

Nigerian dessert culture differs from Western traditions. Many sweet foods are consumed as snacks throughout the day; thus, they’re simple, practical, and straightforward, often deep-fried.

Almonds, peanuts, and sometimes pecans are important in sauces. For example, mole poblano often combines almonds or peanuts with chilies and chocolate. Pipian (pumpkin seed sauce) relies on toasted pumpkin seeds as the base.

Traditionally, lard was the main cooking fat, used for frying tortillas, tamales, and refried beans. Today, corn or canola oil are common replacements; olive oil is important in Veracruz and other coastal areas, but they’re not central overall.