In brief
- Babenda: a Mossi stew from Burkina Faso made with green leaves, broken rice and peanuts
- Origin: Burkina Faso, Mossi people, central plateau
- Key ingredients: green leaves (sorrel, amaranth), broken rice, peanuts, dried fish, soumbala
- A dish born in the countryside during a subsistence crisis, now shared by every generation
Origins and cultural history of babenda
Babenda is a traditional dish from Burkina Faso, originating with the Mossi people. It is thought to have appeared in the 1930s and 1940s, during a period of drought and food crisis, under the name “zê arsenga” (literally “runny sauce”). At the time it was a subsistence food of the countryside, made mainly of edible leaves gathered in the wild, a little grain and water. The recipe was then enriched over the following decades, first in modest households and then across Burkinabe society as a whole, becoming a family dish shared by every generation.
Babenda has kept several nicknames from this history, including “leaf stew” or “the dish of the poor”.
What are the essential ingredients of babenda
Babenda is built on green leaves simmered for a long time with broken rice, bound by pounded peanuts and seasoned with a fermented condiment and dried fish.
- green leaves: sorrel and amaranth in Burkina Faso, often replaced with spinach in France
- broken rice
- roasted and pounded peanuts
- dried fish
- soumbala, a fermented condiment made from néré seeds
- hot chilli and salt
What to know about babenda
Babenda is a traditional dish of Burkina Faso, from the Mossi people: a stew of green leaves (sorrel and amaranth, or spinach as a substitute) cooked for a long time with broken rice. It is thickened with roasted, pounded peanuts and seasoned with dried fish, soumbala (a fermented condiment made from néré seeds), hot chilli pepper and salt. It is said to have appeared in the 1930s and 1940s, during a drought, under the name “zê arsenga” (“fluid sauce”), when it was a subsistence food in the countryside. It has since become a family dish shared by all generations, also nicknamed “leaf stew”.
Frequently asked questions about babenda
Can the traditional leaves of babenda be replaced?
Yes. In Burkina Faso, babenda uses freshly picked sorrel and amaranth leaves (boulomboulou). In France, where these leaves are hard to find, they are commonly replaced with fresh spinach, combined with a little sorrel.
Does babenda contain soumbala?
Yes, in its traditional version. Soumbala is a fermented condiment made from néré seeds, used to flavour many West African dishes, including babenda.
Where to find the ingredients for babenda in France?
NKOSI sells the broken rice, peanuts, dried chilli and dried fish for this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships them 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 €.
