Name: Sauce Graine
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Central African Republic, Central Africa
Ingredients: 400 g palm fruit pulp, canned or tinned palm cream; 200 g smoked fish, deboned and flaked; 3 medium tomatoes, chopped; 1 large onion, diced; 2 whole scotch bonnet peppers, left whole; 1 cup water

Sauce Graine

A rich palm fruit sauce simmered with smoked fish, tomatoes, and hot peppers. The quintessential accompaniment to gozo in the Central African Republic.

Country

Central African Republic

Region

Central Africa

Time

60 min

Serves

Level

medium

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Sauce graine â€” literally "seed sauce" â€” is made from the pulp of palm fruits, which are boiled and pressed to extract a thick, rich cream. In the Central African Republic, this sauce is the most common pairing with gozo. The addition of smoked fish and chilli creates layers of flavour that make this simple sauce remarkably complex.

What the dish tastes like

A rich palm fruit sauce simmered with smoked fish, tomatoes, and hot peppers. The quintessential accompaniment to gozo in the Central African Republic.

When to cook it

Best for Everyday meals, family dining, with a medium cooking level and about 60 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Gozo (cassava porridge) or rice

Prepare the palm cream

If using fresh palm fruits, boil for 20 minutes, then pound and strain to extract the cream. If using canned palm cream, open and stir until smooth.

Canned palm cream is widely available and saves significant preparation time.

Heat a tablespoon of palm oil in a pot. Cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down.

Cook onion and tomato 08:00

Add the palm cream

Stir in the palm cream and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring well to prevent separation.

Simmer with fish

Add the flaked smoked fish and whole scotch bonnet peppers. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is rich and thickened with orange oil floating on top.

The orange oil on top is a sign the sauce is ready.

Simmer sauce 30:00

Serve

Remove the scotch bonnet peppers. Taste for salt and serve hot over gozo or rice.

Sauce Graine

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Step-by-step instructions

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