In brief
- Djoumblé sauce is a stringy sauce made from dried okra, simmered with meat and smoked fish.
- Origin: Cameroon, where the same dried okra, called djoumblé, is also used as a thickener in Côte d'Ivoire, among the Baoulé people.
- Essential ingredients: dried okra (djoumblé), beef, smoked fish, dried shrimp, red palm oil.
- Served with white rice, fufu or gari, as part of everyday meals in Cameroonian households.
Origins and cultural history of djoumblé sauce
Djoumblé refers to dried okra, an ingredient used as a thickener in several West African and Central African cuisines. In Cameroon, djoumblé sauce combines this dried okra with meat or smoked fish and red palm oil, in a preparation with the stringy texture characteristic of okra once rehydrated. The same word, sometimes spelled “djoumgblé”, also refers to a dish and the ingredient that makes it up among the Baoulé people of Côte d’Ivoire, a sign of how this preparation has travelled between several African cuisines.
It is an economical, popular dish, commonly prepared in Cameroonian households as one of the everyday sauces served with a starch.
What are the essential ingredients of djoumblé sauce
Djoumblé sauce relies on a small number of ingredients, found in most African and Caribbean grocery stores, including NKOSI.
- Dried okra (djoumblé)
- Beef
- Smoked fish
- Dried shrimp
- Red palm oil
- Onion, garlic and ginger
What to know about djoumblé sauce
Djoumblé sauce is a stringy sauce made from dried okra (djoumblé), rehydrated in a little lukewarm water and then simmered with beef, smoked fish, dried shrimp and red palm oil. The okra regains its stringy texture, which binds the sauce. Served hot with white rice, fufu or gari, it is an everyday sauce in Cameroonian homes.
Frequently asked questions about djoumblé sauce
Is djoumblé the same thing as fresh okra?
Djoumblé is dried okra, obtained by cutting and then drying okra pods. Once rehydrated in a little warm water, it regains the stringy texture of fresh okra and plays the same thickening role in simmered sauces.
What is djoumblé sauce served with?
Djoumblé sauce is traditionally served with white rice, fufu or gari, which absorb its stringy texture. It is served hot, as soon as it is done cooking.
Where can I find the ingredients for djoumblé sauce in France?
NKOSI sells djoumblé (dried okra) and other ingredients for this recipe 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 €.
