Niger

Local, traditional food includes:

a dense millet porridge with an okra sauce, a pepper sauce, a tomato sauce, or a squash sauce on top, sometimes with veggies and a couple chunks of meat

rice with the above sauces

mushy macaroni pasta with an oily red sauce

rice & beans

corn cous-cous mixed with moringa leaves, black-eyed peas, and sauce called dumbou in Djera/Zarma, and only available in Djerma/Zarma regions

Availability varies widely by region, but visitors may wish to try the following delicious specialties, usually available as street food:

dumbou see above

kilishi: beef jerkey that comes in three flavors: regular, peanut-spiced, and hot-pepper-spiced

masa: delicious sourdough pancakes eaten with a peanut/hot pepper/ginger spice mix or a brown sauce

fari masa: fried dough balls served with either a squash/tomato salsa or sugar

chichena: like fari masa above, but made from bean flour instead of wheat flour

koudagou Djerma/Zarma: fried sweet potato chunks with sauce

Less exotic but also tasty:

brochettes — meat kabobs made from either beef, lamb, or goat

omelet sandwiches

mangoes: if in season, they are bigger and juicier than any available in the western world

yogurt: pasteurized, sweet, and available wherever there is a fridge

fried fish sandwiches

ground beef sandwiches

plates of garlicky green beans or peas usually in bars and restaurants

Careful of the salads — usually not ok for western travelers even in the city.