Bassi Salte

Name: Bassi Salte
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Senegalese
Ingredients: 3 cups millet couscous; 400g lamb, cubed; 3 tomatoes, blended; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 turnip, cubed; 2 carrots, sliced; 1 cabbage wedge; 1 eggplant, cubed; 1 onion, chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 bouillon cubes; 1 scotch bonnet pepper; Salt to taste

Bassi Salte (BAH-see SAL-teh)

Millet Couscous with Vegetables

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 15 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 454 kcal

A nourishing bowl of steamed millet couscous bathed in a tangy, vegetable-laden tomato broth with chunks of tender lamb, a Senegalese take on couscous.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 24.0g

Carbs 58.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten

Equipment Needed

couscoussier or steamer large pot wooden spoon

Presentation Guide

Vessel: large communal platter

Garnishes: fresh herbs

Accompaniments: hot pepper sauce, yogurt

Ingredients

3 cups millet couscous
400g lamb, cubed
3 tomatoes, blended
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 turnip, cubed
2 carrots, sliced
1 cabbage wedge
1 eggplant, cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bouillon cubes
1 scotch bonnet pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions

1
Season lamb with salt and bouillon. Brown in oil in a pot.
2
Add onion and tomato paste, cook 3 minutes. Add blended tomatoes and cook 15 minutes.
3
Add water, scotch bonnet, and all vegetables. Simmer 30 minutes.
4
Meanwhile, moisten millet couscous with salted water and steam in a couscoussier for 20 minutes.
5
Remove couscous, fluff with a fork, moisten again, and steam a second time for 15 minutes.
6
Mound couscous on a platter, ladle meat and vegetables on top, and pour broth around the base.

💡

Did You Know?

Bassi Salte is the Senegalese answer to Moroccan couscous — but made with millet, the ancient grain of the Sahel, instead of wheat semolina.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

couscoussier or steamer
large pot
wooden spoon

Garnishing

fresh herbs

Accompaniments

hot pepper sauce, yogurt

The Story Behind Bassi Salte

Bassi Salte is a northern Senegalese specialty rooted in Tukulor and Wolof millet-farming traditions. Millet couscous predates wheat couscous in West Africa and represents the agricultural heritage of the Sahel. The dish bridges Senegalese and North African culinary worlds.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch, particularly in the north 📜 Origins: Traditional Wolof-Tukulor cuisine

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