In brief
- Tô: a firm paste made from millet or sorghum, the national dish of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger
- Origin: the Sahel region of West Africa, the Mossi, Bambara and neighbouring peoples
- Key ingredients: millet flour (or sorghum), dried okra, smoked fish, soumbala
- A daily meal of the Sahel, shaped into balls and served with a sauce, traditionally eaten by hand
Origins and cultural history of tô
The tô is the national dish of several Sahel countries, above all Burkina Faso and Mali; it is also eaten, more rarely, in Niger and Togo. This thick, unsalted paste is made from millet flour, sorghum or, more rarely, maize, poured in a steady stream into boiling water and then vigorously beaten with a long stick to obtain a smooth, firm, lump-free texture.
Tô is never eaten alone: it is served with a sauce, most often an okra sauce, sometimes a leaf-based sauce or a peanut sauce. It is an everyday dish, shaped into balls and served in a shared dish, traditionally eaten by hand.
What are the key ingredients of tô
The paste itself needs only cereal flour and water; it is the sauce that brings the salt and the flavour.
- millet or sorghum flour
- water
- dried okra, for the thickening sauce
- smoked or dried fish
- soumbala, a fermented condiment made from néré seeds
- onion, red palm oil and chilli, for the sauce
What to know about tô
Tô is a firm paste of millet flour or sorghum, the national dish of several Sahel countries, first of all Burkina Faso and Mali. The flour is poured in a stream into boiling water, then beaten vigorously with a long stick until the paste is smooth, firm and free of lumps. This unsalted paste is never eaten alone: shaped into balls and served in a shared dish, it comes with a sauce, most often an okra sauce with smoked fish and soumbala, and is traditionally eaten by hand. It is an everyday dish, and the sauce is what gives it its salt and flavour.
Frequently asked questions about tô
Can tô be made with sorghum flour instead of millet?
Yes, both cereals are used depending on the region and family habits, with millet flour being the most common. The preparation technique remains the same.
Why is the tô paste beaten with a stick?
This action, repeated for several minutes, gradually incorporates the flour without lumps and produces a paste that is smooth, even and firm enough to be shaped into balls with a spoon.
Where to find the ingredients for tô in France?
NKOSI sells the millet flour, dried okra, smoked fish and red palm oil 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 €.
