country Essentials · 10 foods
Sierra Leone Essentials
A considered first route through Sierra Leone: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Sierra Leone foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
10 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Sierra Leone
Country Rice
Rice is the absolute staple of Sierra Leone; no meal is complete without it.
Liberia
Cassava Leaf Plassas
Cassava Leaf Soup
Cassava leaf plassas is the national dish and a weekly staple across the country.
Sierra Leone
Potato Leaves
Krain Krain
Potato leaves, or krain krain, are the silky, beloved leaf ishtu that rivals plassas.
Sierra Leone
Groundnut Stew
Groundnut ishtu is the creamy, nutty comfort dish served with rice or fufu.
Sierra Leone
Okra Stew
Okra ishtu is the viscous, green, everyday favourite thickened with okra.
Liberia
Fufu
Akpu
Foofoo is the pounded starchy accompaniment used to scoop every soup and ishtu. Updated to the canonical shared item after the West Africa catalog audit.
Sierra Leone
Roasted Plantain
Bọ̀lì
Bole is the roasted plantain sold on every Freetown street corner. Updated to the canonical shared item after the West Africa catalog audit.
Sierra Leone
Ginger Beer
Ginga Bia
Ginger beer is the fierce, sweet, homemade drink that cools the tropical heat.
Guinée Forestière (Nzérékoré / Forest), The Gambia
Palm Wine
Emu
Poyo is fresh palm wine, the social drink known as 'from God to Man'. Updated to the canonical shared item after the West Africa catalog audit.
The Gambia
Hibiscus Juice
Bissap
Wonjo is the ruby-red hibiscus drink sweetened with ginger and vanilla. Updated to the canonical shared item after the West Africa catalog audit.