African cuisine encompasses within its fold several nations, including Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Sudan. The roots of North African cuisine can be traced back to the ancient empires of North Africa, particularly in Egypt, where many of the country's dishes and culinary traditions date back to antiquity. Over several centuries traders, travelers, invaders, migrants and immigrants all have influenced the cuisine of North Africa. The Phoenicians of the 1st century brought sausages, while the Carthaginians introduced wheat and its by-product, semolina. The Berbers adapted semolina into couscous, one of the main staple foods. Olives and olive oil were introduced before
Twice-cooked pork with spices, such as ginger, cloves, star anise, jujubes, or salt. After refrigeration to firm the meat, it is cut into thin slices. The pork is then returned to a wok and shallow fried in oil, usually along with some vegetables. The most commonly used vegetables are napa cabbage, bell peppers, and scallions. Another simple way of preparing this dish is to cook the meat by itself until it is done, then fry it along with the other ingredients. An alternative method involves frying the meat by itself until cooked, frying the vegetables separately, then frying everything together. This approach