In the Igbo cuisine of southeastern Nigeria, the heart of the meal is not a single dish but an inseparable pair: a thick, richly seasoned soup (ofe) and a neutral starchy accompaniment, the 'swallow' (cassava eba, fufu, pounded yam) that you roll into bite-sized balls with your fingers to dip in the soup. Around this revolve the rice for special occasions, fried street snacks, and refreshing drinks. Meals are shared, often with several hands eating from the same dish, and generous servings are part of hospitality.

Two West African pillars: red palm oil (palm oil), with its deep orange color and vegetal taste, which colors and binds soups; and egusi, ground seeds of the African melon-cucumber that add creaminess, protein, and a nutty umami note. These two ingredients, predating colonization, anchor Adichie's table in the Igbo tradition of Nsukka and Enugu.