Dawadawa

while we were in our fancy suite in Accra we enjoyed watching the Ghanaian channels, and I really enjoyed a cookery program, proudly sponsored by Onga (stock cubes and sauce mixes).  The guest chef was from the Northern region and cooked some specialties.  She talked about a seasoning/spice used regularly called dawadawa - which she added in powdered form to a dish.

On my birthday in Bolgatanga I saw dawadawa rice on the menu - and thought - why not?

If only I'd known the French, or English name for dawadawa since I would have stuck to vegetable rice! Fermented dried seeds of the African locust bean, known here in BF as Soumbala and sold in balls at the market- the ladies call it Maggi africaine (african oxo cubes?) - protein rich, and with reputed health benefits from diabetes to heart disease, it is very much in the same kind of seasoning as Thai/Vietnamese fish sauce - savoury / salty / smelly to be used with discretion.

yes they do resemble turds

Discretion was not used on my rice. Just lots of dawadawa and some extra added hot sauce to render it utterly inedible.  We didn't take a photo. It was a plate of greasy grey rice.

Luckily we had provisions in the hotel room, since it was by this time too late to try and order something else. Cup a soup to the rescue!