Shopping at an online African food store is a great way to learn more about the various cuisines of Africa. For the most part, these stores tend to carry dry goods, seasonings, and other ingredients that you need to prepare African dishes at home. But some do also have a prepared food section where they sell fresh or frozen meals. If the African store you're shopping in has a prepared food section, here are a few "famous" dishes worth looking for and trying.

Piri Piri Chicken

Piri piri chicken is a chicken dish made with piri piri sauce, which is a blend of chile peppers, lemon, garlic, onion, vinegar, bay leaves, and salt. The chicken is marinated and cooked in this sauce, which gives it an intense and delicious flavor. Piri piri chicken is popular in Mozambique, and it is a great African dish to try if you're new to African cuisines because it has a lot of familiar elements. You might see it sold with a portion of rice. If not, bring it home, warm it up, and serve it over your favorite rice or noodles.

Jollof Rice

Rice is really popular throughout much of Africa, and jollof rice is a classic preparation you'll often see in West Africa. It's a one-dish meal in which the rice is seasoned with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Some versions have chicken or other meat in them. You might see some frozen jollof rice at the African food store. Or, they may sell small containers of freshly-prepared jollof rice. Buy one and enjoy it as a side to your main meal.

Cape Breyani

Cape breyani is a dish from South Africa that honors the country's fishing traditions. It is essentially a fish stew, cooked in one pot with fish, lentils, and onions. Some versions also have some meat, such as chicken or goat meat, added to them. The dish is topped with hard-boiled eggs and crisped onions before serving. It is saucy, and so it is typically served over rice and alongside a portion of vegetables. This would be a good dish to buy a larger quantity of and serve at a meal among friends.

If your local African store sells prepared or frozen meals, you're in luck. Chances are, at least one of these well-known dishes will be available. Each one has something unique to offer and is a little window into African cuisines.