Tô Burkina

About This Recipe

Tô is the cornerstone of Burkinabè cuisine — a stiff, smooth porridge made from millet or sorghum flour that acts as both plate and utensil. Diners tear off a piece, press a small hollow into it, and scoop up the accompanying sauce. Baobab leaf sauce (sauce de feuilles de baobab) gives the dish its characteristic slightly slimy, deeply savoury character.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsmillet flour (or sorghum flour)
• 5 cupswater, divided
• 1 cupdried baobab leaves (lalo), soaked 10 min
• 2 tbspgroundnut (peanut) oil
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 1 tspsalt, to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the flour

   Whisk millet flour with 1 cup cold water until smooth, removing all lumps.

2. 2

   Cook the tô

   Bring remaining 4 cups water to a boil. Pour the flour mixture in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and stir vigorously for 20 minutes until very thick and pulling from the sides.

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add drained baobab leaves and 1 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes, season with salt.

4. 4

   Serve

   Mound tô into bowls. Ladle sauce alongside or into a separate dipping bowl.

Variations

• •

  Use sorghum or corn flour for a different flavour.

• •

  Add dried fish or smoked shrimp to the sauce for extra umami.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Tô is best eaten fresh. Store leftover sauce refrigerated up to 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions