Nationwide

Sauce aux feuilles de baobab

The slimy sauce of baobab leaves

Aussi écrit : bôkô, bokko, ɓokko (fulfulde)

What is it?

A sauce made with the leaves of the baobab (Adansonia digitata), dried and ground to a powder. The powder is stirred into a meat or fish broth and gives a thick, slimy sauce.

Where does it come from?

Associated people(s) : Inhabitants of northern Cameroon; described among the Fulani (Fulbe) of Diamaré

Main ingredients

  • Powdered dried baobab leaves
  • Meat or fish, fresh or dried
  • Salt, chilli

What to eat it with

The millet or sorghum ball.

Origin and tradition

The Fulani of Diamaré class its leaves among the "dry leaves" used for sauces. Farmers look after the baobabs near homes and fields for their leaves, and the tree served as survival food during the famines of the 19th century.

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