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Ndambé is a spicy bean sandwich beloved as street food in all of Senegal. Senegal is known for its excellent cuisine and Ndambe did not disappoint!
It is spicy and full of wonderful flavor. You could also easily make this recipe vegetarian if you chose to do so.
What is Ndambé?
Ndambé is a type of traditional Senegalese stew prepared with black-eyed peas as the main ingredient.
The pre-cooked black-eyed peas are usually combined with a sauce consisting of onions and tomato paste, flavored with garlic, bay leaves, bouillon cube, vinegar, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
This warm and filling stew can optionally contain sweet potatoes and meat, usually beef or lamb.
This Senegalese winter specialty is typically eaten for breakfast or dinner, accompanied by bread, rice, couscous, or quinoa.
Ndambé Recipe
It is quite easy to make, you start by cutting the meat into small pieces. Peel and mince the onions.
In a cast iron casserole, brown the meat and the onions in the hot oil. Add the dried cornille beans, the bay leaf, the peeled and minced garlic clove, the tomato pulp, the tomato puree, the crumbled stock cube and cover generously with water.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours. The meat and beans should be tender. Add the chilli at the end of cooking. Food is ready!
Be Sure to Try These Other Senegal Dishes!
Be sure to recreate this incredible delicacy. Enjoy!
Some suggestions for Amazon links to “Organic Unsweet Original Coconut Milk“.
Ndambe (Spicy Bean Sandwich)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Black-eyed peas
- 1 1/2 lbs beef cut into bite size chunks
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 teaspoons chili powder or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 loaves French Baguette
- 1 pinch salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare black-eyed beans per package directions then cook in boiling water until tender about 1 hour. (Please note: do not put any salt in the water)
- Put the cut of pieces of beef into a pot. Add a cup of water. Cook for 10 minutes and then drain the broth and reserve.
- Add the oil into the pot with the boiled beef and add in the onions. Brown them stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
- Dilute the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of water. Add into the pot, mix well and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir so it does not stick.
- Add 1/2 cup of water, the chopped garlic, vinegar maggi, chili pepper, a pinch of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Add the beans and broth that has been reserved
- Stir well and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes
- Smother the Ndambe on two french baguettes and cut each in half on the diagonal.
- Serve warm
