Grandma Boran's Ndambe

Chef Boran

For all you foodies out there, here's what you've been waiting for! Experience a bit of my life through your mouth. This next post is all about how to cook Senegalese ndambe, or bean sauce. The recipe comes straight from my grandma, Arame Boran so you know this is the real deal. But first, let's fulfill some of Peace Corps third objective- promoting a better understanding of host country culture to Americans! So, a story...

Every morning all over Senegal, the bean ladies rise early. They tie their babies onto their backs and head out into the street to string up curtains between trees and set up their tables and chairs. Et voila, a mini restaurant! Beans are boiled, eggs fried, Cafe Touba simmered. The first customers (PCVs) enter. What to choose? On the table are bowls full of different sandwich toppings. Should they save money, and just get the beans or also take in their daily protein requirements and have an egg? Should they just go all out and get everything including mayo and onion sauce? Yes, the latter sounds good but it'll need a sweet, milky cup of Cafe Touba to go down right. 300 cfa later, the customer is full, happy, and ready to face whatever horrors Senegal has to throw at them. A shout out to bean ladies near and far for feeding PCVs for over 50 years!! Alxumdililah.

Ndambe

Ingredients:
.5 kg cowpeas
5 onions
2 tbsp chicken bullion
2 tbsp tomato bullion
4 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1/4 cup oil
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Soak beans overnight (for faster cooking).
2. Cook beans with chicken and tomato bullion until soft.
3. Meanwhile, add oil and onions to a frying pan and cook until caramelized.
4. Once beans are done, mix in the onion mixture and tomato paste.
5. Add salt, pepper, red pepper, and a splash of water to taste.

Slap it on top of some fresh millet bread and you've got yourself an authentic African breakfast:)