Burkina Faso | Main dish

Babenda

Name: Babenda
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Burkina Faso, West Africa
Ingredients: 1Â½ cups millet flour; 4 cups leafy greens, chopped (sorrel, spinach, or baobab leaves); 2 tbsp dawadawa (soumbala), crumbled; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 tbsp shea butter or vegetable oil

A nourishing porridge of millet flour and leafy greens simmered with dawadawa for umami depth. A staple of everyday BurkinabÃ© cooking.

Country

Burkina Faso

Region

West Africa

Time

50 min

Serves

Level

easy

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Recipe overview

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Babenda is the soul food of Burkina Faso, eaten daily by millions. It celebrates the Sahelian pantry of millet, leafy greens, and fermented seasonings. Every family has their own version passed down through generations.

What the dish tastes like

A nourishing porridge of millet flour and leafy greens simmered with dawadawa for umami depth. A staple of everyday BurkinabÃ© cooking.

When to cook it

Best for Daily meals, with a easy cooking level and about 50 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Toh or boiled yam

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Vegetarian Africa is the main AfroKitchen collection route tied to this dish right now. Vegetarian Africa

Servings: 6

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How to cook it

Step-by-step instructions

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Prepare the greens

Wash and chop the leafy greens. Boil in salted water for 10 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Boil greens 10:00

Make millet paste

Mix millet flour with 1 cup cold water to form a smooth paste.

Cook the base

In a pot, heat shea butter and fry onion until soft. Add dawadawa and stir. Add 3 cups of the reserved greens liquid and bring to a boil.

Cook base 05:00

Combine and cook

Pour in the millet paste, stirring constantly. Add the cooked greens and stir well. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and porridge-like.

Cook babenda 20:00

Serve

Serve hot in bowls. Babenda should have the consistency of a thick, hearty porridge.

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Babenda

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Step-by-step instructions

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