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Ragoût d'Igname Burkinabè (Braised Yam and Smoked Fish Ragout)
A fragrant, autumnal braise of starchy Pona white yams simmered in rich palm nut broth with smoked capitaine fish and fresh greens.
The story
In the lush Cascades and Sud-Ouest regions of Burkina Faso, the arrival of the late-autumn yam harvest is celebrated with generous communal pots of Ragoût d'Igname. This hearty one-pot braise highlights the revered Pona yam variety, whose sweet, dense flesh softens into velvety richness as it simmers alongside the bounty of the river networks. Traditionally, cooks cook down local smoked fish with indigenous nightshade leaves or amaranth, relying on the natural starch released from the simmering yam chunks to thicken the rich, palm-oil-scented braising jus.
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