A Chinese cook prepares roast ducks at a restaurant. Photo: CFP

Africa enjoys a wide range of climates, making its cuisine diverse. From all corners of the continent, its food has been heavily influenced over the centuries by ingredients brought by the missionaries, colonialists, traders and migrants.

The Arabs, for instance, introduced spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cloves while sweet pastries, among other baked foods were brought by the Ottoman Turks.

In the Southern parts of the continent, covering Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa, food was traditionally blended to bring about the varied cultures and influences.

Foreign cuisine arrives



Maize and soured milk were generally key components of the diet. But as Europeans arrived in the 19th century, South African cuisine began to include meat dishes such as sausages and pies. On the other hand, Malays and Indians brought curries and spices.

In East Africa, where its cuisine varies from area to area, the Arabs who settled in the coastal area over 1,000 years ago brought with them what is famously referred to as Swahili dishes - steamed cooked rice with spices in Persian style.

Several centuries later, the British and the Indians came, and both brought with them their foods, like Indian spiced vegetable curries, lentil soups and chapattis.

Right before the British and the Indians arrived, the Portuguese had introduced techniques of roasting and marinating, as also the use of spices to turn the bland diet into aromatic stewed dishes.

The Portuguese also brought from their Asian colonies fruits like the orange, lemon and lime aside from exotic items like peppers, maize, tomatoes, pineapples and bananas. Now, all these are common in East African foods.

Bilateral ties expand



However, Africa's cuisine landscape is dramatically changing. For about 13 years, the Chinese government has invested heavily in Africa. The groundwork for this cooperation was laid in 1996 when then president Jiang Zemin called for the launch of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in a speech in Ethiopia.

Later on, the friendship was solidified with China promising to offer double assistance to Africa through the creation of a $5 billion African Development Fund.

It also pledged to cancel outstanding debts, build new facilities for the  African Union , boost trade across Africa and built social facilities.

Such huge economic and social promises have seen China bring a turnaround in Africa, a continent that is euphemistically referred to as a dark one.

The Chinese population in Africa now stands at slightly above 1 million. This surge in population since 2001 has again reshaped Africa's dietary needs.

Africa is witnessing a massive expansion in the number of Chinese cuisines; in virtually all cities in the continent, there are numerous Chinese restaurants. 

As Chinese investments grew in Kenya, so did the number of food outlets. For instance, between 1996 and 2007, Nairobi alone saw a growth of more than 40 Chinese restaurants. Similar developments are already happening in Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa.

Interestingly, the majority of people patronizing these restaurants are not Chinese but Africans. On the other hand, Chinese businessmen and workers in Africa tend to enjoy African meals.

"Chinese meals are delicious, with aroma, taste and appearance. I used to read in history books how rich their cuisines are; now I can eat them, with the two sticks," said Mercy Kinyua, a Nairobi-based businesswoman. Her favorite dishes are Kung pao chicken, Mapo tofu, wonton, dumplings, springrolls, chow mein and Peking duck.

Food as cultural bridge

The development is seen as a unique way through which China and Africa get to understand each other.

Indeed, a Chinese journalist working in Nairobi recently said, "It's no exaggeration to say that Chinese cuisine is an exquisite art form and a powerful cultural expression. For Chinese people, food is not only sustenance but also medicine, symbolism, social relations and rituals."

A Kenyatta University lecturer on culture and linguistics said the penetration of Chinese food in the continent proves Chinese people should "feel at home" while trading and investing in Africa. "Food ties the knot between these two regions. The challenge now is for Africans to export as much of their cuisines as possible to China to balance the equation."

The spread of a variety of Chinese cuisines in Africa also needs to be intensified. Most of the restaurants are based in urban areas where just a fraction of the continent's population stay. Yet, most of Chinese investments are in rural areas. Perhaps as the two cultures blend, cross-cultural marriages should be encouraged between Africans and the Chinese.

Michael Kitui, who studied in Shanghai, said, "Africa has a vast amount of resources that should be tapped. On the other hand, there is a lot of suspicion that China could be exploiting Africans. Yet, such an allegation remains to be proven. Such fears, certainly, can be traced to the fact that there is a cultural gap between them."

The author is a Nairobi-based freelance writer. mkapchanga@gmail.com