A thick, creamy sauce extracted from the pulp of palm fruit, simmered with crab, smoked fish, tomatoes, and spices. The rich orange sauce is Benin's most prized accompaniment.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Instructions
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1
Boil palm fruits until soft, pound in mortar to extract cream, strain through sieve.
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2
Heat the palm cream in a pot and bring to a simmer.
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3
Add smoked fish, crab, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and scotch bonnet.
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4
Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until oil separates.
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5
Adjust seasoning and serve over pate or rice.
Did You Know?
The moment the red palm oil separates and floats on top of the sauce is called 'the sauce has given its oil' and signals it is perfectly cooked.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- mortar and pestle
- sieve
- heavy pot
Garnishing
palm oil drizzle
Accompaniments
pate, white rice
The Story Behind Sauce Graine
Sauce graine is among the oldest culinary preparations in the Gulf of Guinea region. Palm trees have been cultivated in Benin for millennia, and extracting their fruit cream for cooking is a technique passed down through countless generations. The sauce represents the agricultural and culinary heritage of the Fon, Mina, and Gun peoples.
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