List of Nigerian Foods

Nigeria, a country in western Africa, gets its name from the Niger River. This river is an important part of the Nigerian diet as the fish pulled from it are a principal staple in the country, according to FoodByCountry.com. Nigerians also eat a lot of beans and maize, both introduced during the country's colonial past by European settlers.

Yams

Yams are a big part of the Nigerian diet, especially people in the eastern part of Nigerian. However, African yams differ from the ones eaten in the United States, according to FoodByCountry.com. African yams are very pale in color and are not nearly as sweet as the ones in America. One popular Nigerian dish is called Isu. Basically spiced and boiled yams, Isu combines the sweet potatoes with garlic, red pepper and cinnamon. The yams are then covered with water and boiled until tender. Boiled and mashed yams are also commonly served in Nigerian.

Fish

Since the Niger River is so important to the country's economy, Nigerians catch and eat a lot of fish. The fish that live in the river include carp, catfish and perch. A popular way to serve fish in Nigeria is stewed. The stew is spiced with garlic and onion with a base made of tomato paste and water. Another common use for fish in Nigeria is moin-moin, a cake made from ground-up beans and fish and then steamed. Moin-moin is a common type of street food. Ikokore is another variation of fish stew that can be quite spicy and served with yams.

Rice and Snacks

Rice is another important staple of the Nigerian diet. During Christmas, jollof rice is often found on the table with stewed chicken, roasted goat and other side dishes. Jollof rice is prepared with onions, tomato paste and green chili peppers.

Plantains are also plentiful in Nigeria and are served sliced and fried. These are most often eaten for breakfast or as a snack during the day. Other snacks include fried strips of yam or chin-chin, a pastry cut into strips and deep fried. Fruit such as mangoes is also readily available and commonly eaten as snack food in Nigeria.