Central Africa · Street food
Coupé-Coupé (Spiced Chargrilled Beef Skewers)
Succulent skewers of chargrilled beef ribbons crusted in piquant kankankan spice, sliced hot into bite-sized street snacks.
The story
From the bustling night stands of Libreville's Mont-Bouët market to the beachside corners of Port-Gentil, Coupé-Coupé is Gabon's definitive nocturnal street food. The dish takes its onomatopoeic name from the rapid, rhythmic 'coupé-coupé' (cut-cut) chopping action of street vendors who take blazing skewers from charcoal grates and dice the meat with heavy blades. The beef strips are seasoned with an intensely spiced dry rub called kankankan, marrying roasted peanut flour with chili, ginger, and wild forest seasonings.
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