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Dambou (Steamed Rice Semolina with Moringa)

Name: Dambou (Steamed Rice Semolina with Moringa)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Niger
Ingredients: 400 g coarse rice semolina or cracked broken rice; 250 g fresh moringa leaves (kopto), washed and stem-free; 100 g roasted skinless peanuts, finely ground into coarse meal; 80 ml unrefined peanut oil or vegetable oil; 1 piece large red onion, finely chopped; 1 piece Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and minced; 2 clove garlic, finely grated; 1 tsp ground soumbala (fermented locust bean powder, optional); 1 tsp sea salt; 250 ml warm water (for steaming moisture)

Delicate steamed cereal grains tossed with tender moringa greens, roasted peanut powder, and aromatic spiced oil.

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one-potvegetariansteamedtraditionalsuperfood

The story

Dambou is a foundational Zarma and Songhai dish cherished across Niger for weddings, religious festivals, and market breakfasts. It reflects the Sahelian genius for dry-land crops, pairing steamed broken grains with nutrient-dense fresh moringa leaves and ground peanuts.

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