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Djouka (fonio with peanut sauce)
Djouka: the Fula way with fonio in Mali, steamed and folded into a savoury peanut sauce
Fonio, the tiny ancient grain of the Sahel, cooks in minutes, and Fula (Peul) families in Mali turn it into djouka by steaming it fluffy and folding it into a thick, savoury peanut sauce with onion, tomato and chilli. Meat is often added for guests and festivals; this is the meat-free home version, rich enough to stand alone as a main dish. The grains stay light and separate, coated in a sauce that is nutty, gently sweet from slow-cooked onion and warm with pepper. Serve it with a fresh tomato and onion salad or a bowl of sour milk on the side if you are not keeping it vegan. The usual mistake is cooking fonio in too much water; it turns to paste. Steam it or use a small amount of water. Chef's tip: rinse fonio in several changes of water and let the grit settle each time, because unwashed fonio often carries fine sand.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the peanut sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 Scotch bonnet chillipierced once with a knife
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 2: Put the fonio in a pan with ½ tsp salt, pour over 2 cups water, stir once, cover and cook over the lowest heat until the water is absorbed.
5 minStep 3: Take off the heat and leave covered, then fluff with a fork until light.
5 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions until soft and golden, then add 3 garlic cloves for a minute.
10 minStep 5: Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and fry until it darkens, about 2 minutes.
2 minStep 6: Whisk 5 ½ oz smooth unsweetened peanut butter with 2 cups hot water until smooth and add to the pan with 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, ½ tsp ground black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently, stirring often, until it thickens and a little reddish oil appears on top.
12 minStep 7: Lift out the chilli. Fold the fonio into the sauce until every grain is coated, warm through for 2 minutes and serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 570 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does djouka (fonio with peanut sauce) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 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 onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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