Dishes That Connect Nigerian Food With Global Cuisine

Nigerian food is gaining international attention, and culinary researcher and author Ozoz Sokoh is documenting it. In her recent cookbook, Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria, Sokoh explores the connections between the country’s cuisine and food traditions around the world, highlighting dishes whose ingredients and techniques reflect wider cultural exchanges. Imoyo, a Nigerian fish stew, has similarities with Brazil’s molho, while ewedu uses jute leaves also found in North Africa and Southeast Asia. Jollof rice reflects centuries of trade and cultural influence across West Africa, while zobo shares roots with Caribbean sorrel and Mexico’s agua de Jamaica. From suya and small chops to Chapman and chicken curry, these foods demonstrate Nigeria’s diverse culinary heritage and its links to global food culture.