Central Africa · Street food
Gala (Sun-Dried Spiced Beef Jerky)
Pungent, deeply savory Chadian cured beef strips seasoned with toasted peanut meal, piri-piri chili, ginger, and aromatic Sahelian spices.
The story
In the arid transit hubs of Abéché and Mongo, Gala is the quintessential trail food prepared for trans-Sahelian traders, pastoralists, and long-distance truck drivers. The tradition stems from centuries of pastoral preservation methods developed by Chadian cattle-herding communities facing extreme desert heat without refrigeration. Crucial to authentic Gala is the use of pulverized roasted groundnut cake flour (kuli-kuli), which binds the dried marinade onto the lean muscle fibers while forming an unctuous protective outer crust.
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