West Africa · Side
Ebessesse (Togolese Crushed Pepper Relish)
A fiery, fragrant Togolese condiment of mortar-crushed fresh peppers, sweet shallots, green tomatoes, and spiced oil that enlivens coastal fried dishes.
The story
Originating along the Gulf of Guinea coastline among the Gen and Ewe peoples, Ebessesse is the quintessential daily condiment flanking fried fish, ablo, and grilled street meats. It is traditionally ground in an asanka (grooved clay mortar) or on a flat granite slab rather than pureed in an electric blender to preserve the distinct cellular crunch of the vegetables. A crucial technical detail practiced by coastal Togolese cooks is scalding the raw mash with smoking-hot oil, which volatilizes the pungent sulfurous edge of raw shallots while setting the bright capsaicin oils.
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