Sauce Gombo

Name: Sauce Gombo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chadian
Ingredients: 500g beef, cubed; 300g fresh okra, finely sliced; 3 tbsp dried fish, ground; 3 large tomatoes, chopped; 2 onions, diced; 4 tbsp groundnut oil; 1 liter water; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp salt; 1 bouillon cube; 1 small hot pepper

Sauce Gombo (sohs GOM-bo)

Chadian Okra Sauce

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 348 kcal

A rich, thick okra sauce cooked with beef, dried fish, and tomatoes, seasoned with traditional Chadian spices. This viscous, deeply flavored sauce is poured over boule and eaten communally from a shared bowl.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 24.0g

Carbs 18.0g

Fat 20.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ fish

Equipment Needed

large heavy pot wooden spoon mortar and pestle sharp knife

Ingredients

500g beef, cubed
300g fresh okra, finely sliced
3 tbsp dried fish, ground
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, diced
4 tbsp groundnut oil
1 liter water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 bouillon cube
1 small hot pepper

Instructions

1
Heat groundnut oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Brown beef cubes on all sides, working in batches to ensure proper searing, about eight minutes total.
2
Add diced onions and garlic to the pot. Saute until softened and beginning to color, roughly five minutes.
3
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they collapse into a thick paste, stirring often for about ten minutes.
4
Pour in water, add bouillon cube, hot pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for thirty minutes until beef is tender.
5
Add finely sliced okra and ground dried fish. Stir well and simmer for fifteen minutes until the sauce becomes thick and mucilaginous.
6
Remove hot pepper. Serve the sauce ladled generously over boule, with the communal eating style traditional in Chadian homes.

💡

Did You Know?

In Chadian tradition, the person who prepares sauce gombo is judged by how well the sauce "draws" - the long, stretchy threads of okra are a sign of proper cooking technique.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large heavy pot
wooden spoon
mortar and pestle
sharp knife

The Story Behind Sauce Gombo

Sauce gombo is central to Chadian culinary identity, served at daily meals and special gatherings alike. The dish exemplifies the Chadian philosophy of communal eating, where family members gather around a single large bowl of boule topped with sauce. The combination of fresh okra with dried fish creates a complex umami-rich sauce that has sustained Chadian families for generations.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch and dinner 📜 Origins: Traditional Chadian cuisine

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Sauce Gombo

Nutrition & Info

Dietary

Allergen Warnings

Equipment Needed

Instructions

Did You Know?

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

The Story Behind Sauce Gombo

Comments (0)

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