Every cuisine has certain dry goods that form the basis of its dishes. In Italy, for example, common dry goods include pasta and risotto rice. In Mexican cuisine, you see masa and dried chiles. But what sort of dry goods might you find in an African store? Here are some key ones to look for.

Gari

Gari is ground cassava root. (Cassava is a starchy root vegetable, somewhat like a potato.) It's a popular food in West Africa and a dry good you can find in many African stores. Gari is off-white in color and looks like a cross between rice and potato flakes. You can rehydrate the gari and use it to thicken soups and stews. It can also be used in traditional African baked goods.

Fonio

Fonio is a grain that's native to Africa and has been used in many African cuisines over the years. It's very nutritionally dense and a great source of fiber, B vitamins, and various minerals. You can cook fonio like rice and enjoy it as an addition to many soups and stews. If you happen to find milled fonio, which is basically fonio flour, you can use it to make cakes and cookies. It's naturally gluten-free, making it a good substitute for wheat flour.

African Locust Bean

More formally known as Parkia biglobosa, African locust beans are a type of nut collected from a tree that's native to Africa. When fresh, the beans or nuts contain a yellow, pulpy flesh. This flesh, along with the seeds suspended within it, can be dried and ground into a powder. You can find this powder in a lot of African stores. It can be stirred into water to make a beverage or added to food for a hint of sweetness and fruitiness.

African Rice

The rice grown in Africa is actually a different species than the rice grown in Asia. African rice is formally known as Oryza glaberrima. When dry, African rice is more delicate than Asian rice. It is also slightly sweeter than Asian rice. If you find some of this rice at an African store, it is definitely worth trying, if only to discover how different it really can be.

If you visit an African store in your area, keep your eyes peeled for these key dry goods. They are all pretty easy to find, and having them on hand makes it possible for you to cook more authentic African dishes.