A rich, creamy stew made from pounded palm fruit extract simmered with meat, crab, and aromatic spices, yielding a deep orange sauce with extraordinary depth.
Ingredients
2kg fresh palm fruits
500g beef, cubed
200g smoked crab
1 large onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, blended
2 scotch bonnet peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bouillon cube
Salt to taste
Water
Instructions
1Boil palm fruits for 30 minutes until soft. Pound in a mortar to separate pulp from seeds.
2Add warm water and squeeze through a sieve to extract thick cream. Repeat for a second extraction.
3Season and brown beef in a pot. Add onion, garlic, and blended tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes.
4Pour in the palm fruit extract and bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5Add smoked crab, scotch bonnet, and bouillon. Simmer 20 more minutes until sauce is thick and oil rises.
6Serve over foutou or white rice.
Did You Know?
The quality of sauce graine depends entirely on the freshness of the palm fruits — experienced cooks can judge ripeness by squeezing a single fruit.