Soumbara, or nététou, is a fermented West African condiment made from néré seeds. The CATALEYA version comes in a block, a dried compact piece to crumble into sauces and stocks. 100 g pouch.
What is soumbara?
Soumbara comes from the fermentation of the seeds of the néré tree (Parkia biglobosa), native to the savannas of West Africa. Depending on the country and language, it goes by other names too: nététou in Senegal (Wolof), soumbala in Mali and Burkina Faso, dawadawa among the Hausa of Nigeria and Ghana, iru among the Yoruba of Nigeria, or afitin in Benin. Its smell is powerful and its taste, umami and concentrated, recalls fermented cheese and stock.
How to use it?
Crumble or crush a small piece of the block, then stir it into the sauce or stock at the start of cooking: the fermented taste is intense, it is best to start small and taste before adding more. It is found in thiéboudienne (Senegalese fish and rice), kandia soup (okra stew) and leaf sauces.
What to pair it with?
To cook a full thiéboudienne, pair it with the Senegalese thiéboudienne kit or the kandia soup recipe on the blog. To compare formats, the same brand also offers CATALEYA soumbara powder. The whole department: cereals and grains.
Product information
- Brand: CATALEYA
- Volume: 100 g, block form
- Origin: West Africa
- Allergens: check the label of the product received
- Storage: away from heat and moisture, in an airtight container
