One of the common problems Nigerian travellers face when visiting a new country for the first time is deciding what to eat and where to eat. Our first thought is often to find a Nigerian restaurant or eat the most basic meals like fries, chicken, and burgers, surviving on fast food until we settle. It’s why we sneer at other cultures’ ways of preparing the same food. What is it that makes Nigerians so insular? 

Maybe the lack of (enough) exposure to other meal options in our restaurants, personal reservations, and conservative palettes makes us always gravitate towards familiar cuisines. If you find yourself in another country, there are several ways to get to know the country and learn about the cultures, and one of the most common ways of exploring is through their food. 

If you ever find yourself outside Nigeria, and you’re worried about the meals available to you because you’re finicky with food and, most times,  unwilling to try out meals that don’t resemble things you recognise, these cuisines will always be safe enough but adventurous options for you. 

Turkish cuisine

Although the Turkish people are very popular for their kebabs, which we highly recommend, as we know, nothing beats the Nigerian suya and shawarma (which has Turkish origins); there are also amazing Turkish bread meals. One of those meals is the Lahmacun.

 Lahmacun is a filling flatbread topped with minced meat, vegetables, onions, tomatoes, lemon and herbs. Although the Lahmacun looks like a pizza, it’s nothing like one. It’s more delicious and more nutritious than a pizza. This meal can be paired with Ayran, a delightful Turkish yoghurt. 

This meal combination is available in every Nigerian kitchen and is similar to meals eaten here. It will also encourage you to try out more meals from Turkish food places in whatever country you find yourself. 

Another delicious Turkish delight is the Doner. Doner for you, a Nigerian, will seem like a sandwich, but one of the best you’ve ever had. The Doner is made from pita bread filled with deliciously flavoured meats, vegetables, and spices. Like most Turkish meals, it’s hardly served alone; it often comes with rice, chips, salad, and yoghurt. 

Thai cuisine

Abroad with nothing to eat? Thai food will always save the Nigerian in you. Similar to Nigerian meals, there are many Thai cuisines with rice or noodles as their base. Many Thai recipes or cooking styles have been integrated into our recipes here in Nigeria — meals like stir-fry (whatever stir-fry it might be). Thai food is also critically acclaimed to be one of the best foods in the world, and you can’t go wrong with it.

If you won’t eat Turkish meals and want a more familiar option, order these Thai meals abroad or in restaurants in Nigeria. 

The legendary Pad-Thai is always an excellent place to start exploring Thai food. It’s a noodle meal made with seafood, chicken, beef, and authentic Thai spices. This meal is the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and sour flavours. You’re a Nigerian, so of course, you won’t mind noodles. 

You’re also in luck if you’re a Nigerian who doesn’t eat noodles. The Thai dish range covers all — from the conservative to the experimental. Although this is a dessert, Khao Niew Mamuang (Mango with Sticky Rice) is another thing you should try. Mango is already the best fruit in the world (please, don’t argue with me) — something you’ve eaten many times and can’t go wrong with. You may be weirded out by the thought of eating rice and mango, but don’t be. Pairing mango with sweetened sticky rice will slap so hard that you’ll be transported to another world of deliciousness.  

Chinese cuisine

Asians always get it right with you, so if you go through the Thai menu and don’t want anything, you’ll find a meal in a Chinese restaurant. There are many options available in the Chinese menu that we’re sure you’ll need no help navigating and making a selection for yourself. 

Nigerian restaurants have already mastered the art of making Chinese meals, so this seems like a safety net. Eat some chow mein, kung pao chicken or fried rice if confused or extremely unadventurous.  

Jamaican cuisine

Jamaican cuisines have a lot of similarities to Nigerian meals. From the soup, stews, main meals and pastries, many options will satisfy your craving and fill your belly. One of the most popular Jamaican pastries to try is the Jamaican patty — very much like the meat pie you’re used to as a Nigerian. Unlike the meat pie, patties are filled with either meat, chicken or vegetables, onions and other spices; happiness in each bite. 

Although it’s not a meal on its own —- have you really been in a Jamaican food place if you don’t buy jerk chicken? Jerk chicken is nothing like any chicken you’ve tasted before. The chicken is marinated in special jerk spices, which include garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, scotch bonnet pepper, and pimento. You can eat your jerk chicken alone or pair it with some bread. 

Indian cuisine

You’re right if you hear the word “curry” and immediately think of delicious Indian curries. But besides their delicious cuisines, Indians are also known for their love of tea, so trying something other than the main dishes in your food exploration won’t hurt. Order your meal and some tea to go with it. Confused about what to eat? Try naan — better still, garlic naan. You’re a Nigerian, and there’s a chance you already love bread. Eat the naan with a curry and feel your tastebuds elevated to a higher level of glory. 

If you’re not feeling very “bready”, try a biryani. The biryani is a rice meal cooked deliciously with a potpourri of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, et cetera. The beef, chicken, goat or lamb usually accompanying the biryani is first marinated in yoghurt before being infused with a tonne of other spices. Even if you’re usually not adventurous with food, you already know this will taste great. 

Visiting a new country without being able to detach yourself from the meals you’ve eaten many times before isn’t a particularly commendable trait, but we understand. You just need to let yourself go sometimes. There are so many cuisines in the world to try out, and although Nigerian jollof rice is the best in the world, it’s not the only meal. 

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