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Sanga
Fresh corn and greens simmered in palm nut cream, a Beti dish from Yaoundé
Sanga is a home dish of the Beti people around Yaoundé in the Centre region of Cameroon, made in the maize season: young corn is grated off the cob and cooked with finely shredded njama njama (huckleberry leaves) and the orange pulp pressed from palm nuts. It is eaten warm from a bowl, sometimes with a little sugar stirred in. Spinach and tinned palm nut concentrate make a good version abroad. Chef's tip: grate the kernels off the cob rather than slicing them; the milky pulp is what thickens sanga.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Stand each 6 corn on the cob in a wide bowl and grate the kernels off on the coarse side of a box grater, then scrape the cob with the back of a knife to get every bit of milk.
15 minStep 2: Put 14 oz palm nut concentrate (noix de palme, tinned) and 1 cup water in a pot with 1 onion and ½ scotch bonnet and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly and smells nutty.
10 minStep 3: Stir in the grated corn and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and loses its raw starchy taste. Common mistake: walking away — fresh corn sticks quickly.
10 minStep 4: Add 10 ½ oz njama njama (huckleberry leaves) or spinach and 1 tsp salt and cook for 8–10 minutes more, until the greens are soft and the sanga is thick like porridge.
10 minStep 5: Taste and stir in 1 tbsp sugar if you like it the sweet way. Serve warm in bowls.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sanga take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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