Whether it’s stewed, fried or baked, okra has grown to become a cornerstone of southern American cooking despite its African roots. Other dishes, like Hoppin’ John, bear resemblance to Ghana’s waakye, and Senegal’s thiebou niebe. Today, we can still see clear similarities between one-pot rice recipes like jambalaya, and Jollof, a wildly popular traditional dish in many West African countries. Since rice is a staple in many African dishes, enslaved Africans adapted their cooking in the Americas with the food items that were most accessible, creating some of the most renowned soul food staples. The transport of the African variety of rice in particular through the slave trade arguably set the foundation for the most notable southern American culinary traditions. Once in the Americas, the enslaved Africans grew these crops on the plantations as food sources that would keep their energy up during the long days of hard labor. In fact, many crops that are key ingredients in soul food cooking were nowhere to be found in the Western Hemisphere prior to the slave trade.ĭuring the Middle Passage, slave traders intentionally took several crops native to Africa and made limited portions of these foods available on the slave ships in order to keep the enslaved alive. It may surprise you to know that rice is not indigenous to the Americas. In soul food cooking, there are four key ingredients that establish a historical link to America’s dark slavery past and the African cultures that the enslaved carried with them. Soul food has a rich and important history that ties Black culture to its African roots, and that history is deeply reflected in the staple recipes and techniques. This food genre, now associated with comfort and decadence, was born out of struggle and survival. Over time, these recipes and techniques have become the soul food dishes we are familiar with today. With these rations, enslaved people preserved African food traditions and adapted traditional recipes with the resources available. During the Transatlantic Slave Trade, enslaved African people were given meager food rations that were low in quality and nutritional value. Soul food takes its origins mostly from Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama, a collection of states commonly referred to as the Deep South. But most of us spend more time drooling over soul food than thinking about it.

The mere idea of fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread is enough to make my mouth water. If you’re like me, you’re a sucker for soul food. For centuries, Black Americans have passed on hearty, sumptuous recipes that have marked many a special occasion. Soul food is one of the most popular and recognizable types of cooking coming out of the United States.

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