West Africa · Side
Tô (Stiff Cooked Millet and Sorghum Paste)
Stiff, elastic staple swallow made from soured pearl millet flour vigorously beaten over low heat until glossy and smooth.
The story
Tô is the undisputed culinary backbone of Mali, consumed daily from Bamako to Mopti across Bambara, Dogon, and Malinké households. Served family-style from large communal bowls, it is torn with the right hand and dipped into savory, mucilaginous okra or baobab leaf sauces. Traditional cooks control the dough's starch gelatinization by acidifying the initial cooking liquid with tamarind water or native potash (kounan), which alters the amylase breakdown and ensures the paste stays firm without turning gummy.
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