Soumra is the dried and (frequently) ground seed kernels (grains) of the oil seeds of <em>Ricinodendron heudelotii</em> used as a spice. In Cameroon, the spice is known as njangsa and in Angola as munguella in Côte d’Ivoire its soumara or soumbala, nététou in Senegal and afitini in Togo and Benin. They are known as locust beans in English. There are several ways to prepare Soumara lafri but this is one of the main three. This recipe uses <em>Oryza glaberrima</em> native African rice which is harder than Asian rice and takes longer to cook.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Serves: 4
Ingredients
300g rice (typically native African glaberrima rice)
A ball of soumara or powdered soumara
2 tbsp dry fish powder
1 Maggi cube, crushed
1 hot chilli pepper
Salt, to taste
4 okra, sliced into rounds
4 aubergines (eggplants), cubed
vegetable oil
Start by putting the water on the heat, add the okra, eggplant, pepper and salt.
For the Meat Sauce:
500g Meat (beef, goat), cubed and washed
3 onions, chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp Tomato puree
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried shrimp powder
4 fresh chillies
salt, to taste
Method:
Mix together the soumara powder, dried fish, maggi cube, chilli powder and a little salt.
Add 600ml water to a pot along with the okra, aubergine, whole chilli and a little salt.
As soon as the water starts to boil add the rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid cook for 5 minutes.
At this point make a hollow in the middle of the rice, nestle the soumara powder mixture in there. Cover the soumara mixture with rice then add a lid. As the rice cooks the flavour of the soumara will infuse it.
If serving with a meat sauce, place the meat in a pan over high heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes so the meat releases its liquid and cooks in this.
Now add in the onions, chilli powder, garlic, shrimp powder and season with salt. Blend the tomato purée with 200ml boiling water then pour into the pot and nestle in the whole chillies. Continue cooking over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the meat is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Continue cooking the rice for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Once the rice is tender fluff with a fork to mix in the spices. Turn the rice onto a serving plate, so that the okra, whole chilli and aubergine pieces are on top (the guests will take some of these and mash into their own portion).
Serve with the meat sauce.
