West Africa · Street food
Oleleh (Steamed Savory Black-Eyed Pea Pudding Cakes)
Silky, savory steamed black-eyed pea parcels enriched with red palm oil, shredded smoked fish, and aromatic peppers steamed in banana leaves.
The story
Oleleh is a revered savory pudding perfected by the Aku community of Banjul and widely enjoyed at celebratory gatherings as well as daily street stalls. Derived from the broader West African bean pudding lineage, the Gambian Aku version is distinguished by a higher concentration of pungent smoked fish and unrefined palm oil. The culinary secret lies in incorporating sufficient air into the ground bean purée during mechanical whipping to create a light, soufflé-like crumb upon steaming.
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