In short
- Dombrés are dumplings made from flour-and-water dough, cooked in a spicy shrimp sauce
- Origin: Guadeloupe, today prepared throughout the Caribbean, including Martinique
- Essential ingredients: flour, water, shrimp, tomato, onion, garlic, cives, chili pepper
- A comforting family dish, served as a main course with white rice
Origins and cultural history of dombrés
Dombrés are a dish originally from Guadeloupe, today prepared throughout the Caribbean region, including Martinique and French Guiana. The name changes from island to island: dombwé in Guadeloupean Creole, dongré or dolfines in Martinique, dongué in French Guiana.
The concept, dumplings made from flour-and-water dough, is thought to have been introduced to the Antilles by Sephardic Jewish communities who fled after the Iberian Inquisition, passing through the Netherlands and then Dutch Brazil before settling in the Caribbean from 1654 onwards; some analyses link the Guadeloupean version more specifically to a Congolese tradition. The dish stands apart from the fried or boiled dumplings of other Caribbean islands through its generous sauce, and is also prepared with red beans, pigeon peas, lentils or pork tail. Since 2017, the town of Le Moule, in Guadeloupe, has celebrated the dish at the Dombré an tout sòs festival.
What are the essential ingredients of dombrés
Making dombrés relies on simple ingredients, easy to find at an African and Caribbean grocery store, including NKOSI.
- wheat flour and water, for the dough
- shrimp
- tomato, as purée or fresh
- onion and garlic
- cives (Caribbean spring onions)
- Antillean pepper, hot or mild variety
- lime
What to know about dombrés
Dombrés are dough balls made of wheat flour and water, cooked in a generous sauce with shrimp, tomato, onion, garlic, spring onions, Antillean chilli and lime. Originally from Guadeloupe, the dish is also made in Martinique and French Guiana, under names that change from island to island. It is served as a main course with white rice at family meals. It is also made with red beans, pigeon peas or lentils in place of the shrimp.
Frequently asked questions about dombrés
Where does the name dombré come from?
The word changes form from island to island: dombwé in Guadeloupe, dongré or dolfines in Martinique, dongué in French Guiana. Its exact origin remains debated, between a European know-how of dumpling-making and a Congolese tradition for the Guadeloupean version.
Can dombrés be made without shrimp?
Yes: depending on the family and the region, dombrés are also cooked with red beans, pigeon peas, lentils or meat, in the same spicy tomato sauce. The shrimp recipe remains the most common.
Where to find the ingredients for dombrés in France?
NKOSI sells the lime juice for this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships it from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
