sauces

Chunks of river fish wrapped in banana leaves with palm oil and fiery pili-pili sauce, then grilled over glowing embers until the leaves char and the fish steams in its own juices. This leaf-parcel method is found across the Congo basin, where it is known as liboké or maboké.

Salt cod, white fish, shrimp, sardines, and crab simmered in a creamy peanut sauce and served with rice or fufu. Known as moambe (also mwambe, mwamba, or muamba), this Central African sauce is better known as the base of a chicken stew regarded as a national dish in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Gabon. This version uses fish and shellfish instead.

A thick, nutty paste made from nothing more than roasted peanuts and water, slow-cooked until the water disappears. Known as mwamba (or muamba), it is the base of moambe-style stews across Central Africa, stirred into fish, shrimp, and chicken dishes or served as a rich sauce on its own.

Peanut chicken noodles are a satisfying Australian-style stir-fry inspired by the flavors of Southeast Asian satay. Tender chicken thighs are seasoned with coriander, cumin, and turmeric, then tossed with chewy Hokkien noodles, crisp vegetables, and a creamy peanut and coconut sauce. Lime, sweet chili, and soy sauce balance the richness with brightness, sweetness, and a savory edge. Quick to prepare and full of flavor, this is the kind of multicultural cooking that has become a familiar part of the Australian food scene.

The perfect sweet soy sauce for dango. The contrast between the soft, yielding interior, the slightly smoky char, and the sticky glaze is what makes dango so hard to stop eating. The name comes from the mitarashi, the purification fountain at Shinto shrines.

Conch, a beloved staple in Bahamian and Caribbean cuisine, brings a unique, sweet clam-like flavor and a satisfyingly firm texture to this rich tomato sauce.

The sauce is slow-simmered allowing sweet tomatoes, aromatic garlic, and fresh herbs meld beautifully with the tender ground conch. The result is a sauce that clings perfectly to pasta, offering a taste of the ocean in every bite. It’s a wonderful way to introduce exotic seafood into your regular dinner rotation or to impress guests with a dish that feels like a tropical getaway.