My approach in selecting these 10 recipes is to reveal two complementary qualities of Nigerian cuisine: its singularity and its accessibility. (As such, I had to leave out recipes that are among my favorites, like nkwobi. As much as I’d like readers to spend a day off from work perfecting a long-simmer cow’s foot, I want these recipes to be practical.)

These dishes are primarily informed by the cuisine of the southwest, the part of the country where I grew up. I would love for them to serve as a starting point — there’s nothing definitive here, though all are, I hope, recognizable to Nigerians, and most West Africans. They are what I share first when I cook in my Brooklyn home for friends old and new.

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I have found that it’s important when cooking Nigerian food to trust the ingredients to do their work. The ingredients are “Nigerian” only in their interactions with one another, and will take time to conspire in your pot. To accomplish the variety of textures that make the dish stand out, each recipe should be approached with patience and a sense of adventure. Do not be burdened by notions of authenticity .

Also trust the preparation and techniques — with a long braise, the muscle fibers in the goat leg will tenderize and surrender to the peppered juices of the obe ata, a bright red purée of red bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, with habanero for added heat and complexity. A whole habanero with seeds will lend its gentle, lingering heat to the jollof rice. Fermented locust beans will plump up nicely with a soak in warm water, and will collaborate with crayfish and red palm kernel oil to make an umami-rich pot of efo riro, or stewed greens.

You may go to great lengths to find selim pepper, calabash nutmeg and uziza seeds, but it will be worth it: Each sip of the whole fish pepper soup is like a loud refrain singing to your senses. The peanut-based dry spice mixture that seasons beef suya, the ultimate Nigerian street food, will have you licking your fingers. The beautiful complexities revealed in these flavors and textures are the most satisfying aspects of Nigerian cuisine.

In a funny way, that term — “Nigerian cuisine” — is a lovely bit of enthusiasm, but it’s almost too broad for its own good. Nigeria is vast, and its dishes reflect the geographic, cultural and ethnic divides that exist within our country. When it is explored in depth, our cuisine reveals the nuances of regions and peoples, and those of diaspora and return.