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Meni-meniyong (Malian sesame honey sticks)
Meni-meniyong: Mali's crunchy bars of toasted sesame bound with honey and butter
Toasted sesame seeds bound with hot honey and a knob of butter, then pulled into sticks before they harden: meni-meniyong is a little Malian sweet sold at markets and made at home for guests and festive days. The sticks are crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle, and taste deeply of toasted seeds and dark honey. They need only three ingredients but reward careful heat. Children love them, and they keep well in a tin. Chef's tip: cook the honey until a drop in cold water forms a firm ball; pulling it off too early is the usual mistake, and the sticks stay soft and sticky instead of setting.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 9 oz white sesame seeds
- 5 ½ oz honey
- ⅔ oz unsalted butterplus a little for greasing
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toast 9 oz white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until evenly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate.
8 minStep 2: Lightly butter a baking tray or a sheet of baking paper.
Step 3: Heat 5 ½ oz honey, ⅔ oz unsalted butter and 1 pinch salt in a small heavy pan over a medium heat, stirring, until it boils and darkens slightly. Keep boiling until a drop in cold water forms a firm ball (about 250°F).
8 minStep 4: Stir in the sesame off the heat until all the seeds are coated.
Step 5: Tip onto the tray and, with a buttered spatula, press into a flat rectangle about 1 cm thick. Take care: the mixture is very hot.
Step 6: While still warm and pliable, cut into sticks about 8 cm by 1.5 cm with a buttered knife. Leave to set completely.
20 minStep 7: Store in an airtight tin, layered with baking paper, for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does meni-meniyong (Malian sesame honey sticks) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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