Djenkoume — Togo

Djenkoume is a thick cornmeal preparation from Togo, cooked down with tomato, onion, chilli and palm oil into a dense, deep red porridge. The corn flour is stirred into the sauce until it forms a firm, almost sliceable paste, closer in texture to a stiff polenta than to a soup. It is reported as a home-cooked dish across Togo, prepared in family kitchens rather than sold widely as street food, and it is described as a filling, everyday preparation rather than one tied to a single festival or region within the country. The tomato, onion, chilli and a little garlic are cooked down first in palm oil until they collapse into a thick sauce, sometimes with a piece of fish, smoked fish or meat simmered in alongside for flavor. Corn flour is then sprinkled in gradually while stirring constantly over low heat, so it thickens without forming lumps, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot. What sets this dish apart from other corn-based porridges of the region is its color and its cooking fat: the palm oil gives djenkoume a deep orange-red tone and a distinct, slightly nutty flavor, and it is usually eaten with the hands, taking small pieces of the firm corn paste to scoop up whatever fish, meat or vegetable accompanies it.