🇧🇫 Burkinabe Cuisine

Poulet au Soumbala

Chicken with Fermented Locust Bean

Prep Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Difficulty Medium
Calories 426 kcal

Tender braised chicken infused with the deep, funky umami of soumbala (dawadawa), creating an intensely savory dish unique to Burkinabe home cooking.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Season chicken with salt and set aside.
  2. 2 Heat oil in a pot and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  3. 3 Sauté sliced onions and garlic until golden.
  4. 4 Add chopped tomatoes and cook 8 minutes until softened.
  5. 5 Crush soumbala and add to the pot. Stir well to release its aroma.
  6. 6 Return chicken, add water, habanero, and Maggi cube. Cover and simmer 35 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce is reduced.

Did You Know?

Soumbala has such a pungent aroma that first-time smellers often recoil — but once tasted in a dish, they are converted for life.