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Pinon
Pinon: Benin's fluffy gari cooked in tomato and onion sauce, ready in twenty minutes
On a busy weeknight in Cotonou or Porto-Novo, pinon (also spelled piron) is the answer: gari, the toasted cassava granules every Beninese kitchen keeps on hand, stirred into a hot tomato and onion sauce until it swells into a soft, fluffy, orange mound. Ready in about twenty minutes, it is savoury and tangy from the fermented cassava, with a kick of pepper. People eat it with fried fish or grilled chicken; this meat-free plate pairs it with a pot of beans in red oil or fried plantain. Chef's tip: lower the heat before adding the gari and sprinkle it in gradually, stirring all the time, so every grain absorbs the sauce evenly.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes
- 4 tbsp vegetable or red palm oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ¾ tsp salt
- 7 oz gari (cassava granules)white or yellow
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blend the 4 tomatoes, 1 Scotch bonnet chilli and 2 garlic cloves until smooth.
2 minStep 2: Heat the 4 tbsp vegetable or red palm oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the 2 onions for 4 minutes until soft.
4 minStep 3: Stir in the 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the purée and cook for 6 minutes until thick and glossy.
7 minStep 4: Pour in the 2 cups vegetable stock, add the ¾ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
Step 5: Turn the heat to low and sprinkle in the 7 oz gari (cassava granules) steadily, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2–3 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the grains swell into a soft, moist paste. Tipping it in all at once on a fierce boil is the mistake: it turns lumpy and gummy.
3 minStep 6: Cover off the heat for 3 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pinon take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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