I’ve asked my neighbor Mbosse to teach me how to cook some of my favorite Gambian dishes. I don’t teach on Wednesdays, so we’re going to use the occasional Wednesday to educate me before I leave. For today’s cooking class we chose white bennachin.

Firstly, Let me introduce you to Mbosse, and the world’s cutest sous chef, Muhammed!

Bennachin is of Wollof origin, but is a dish know nation-wide. In Wollof it means “one pot” because it is cooked in just one pot. I though that meant it would be easy, but it wasn’t! It should be called, “one pot, but you’ll move things in and out a lot.” I wonder what that would be in Wollof…

…any way, Bennachin is a “fancy” meal; it’s usually broken out on holidays, naming ceremonies, programs, etc. When I lived in Bakadaji, I looked forward to events just because I knew bennachin would be made, usually in HUMONGOUS pots large enough to feed the neighborhood. Whether or not I was invited, I followed the sound of music to find the bennachin. Bennachin comes in two styles, “red” and “white.” We made white bennachin because it’s my favorite, but the only difference is the addition of tomato paste.

So here is the recipe for Mbosse’s White Bennachin*

VeggiesThe ingredients.

1 Onion

2 Eggplants

5 Small Tomatoes

2 Bitter Tomatoes

4 Cloves of Garlic

2 Sachets of seasoning (in the photo, it looks like they’re named “Jololli”

1 Maggi Cube

3 Cups of Rice

4 Cups of Water

2 Chicken Legs (for 2.5 people)

1 small strip of oyster (optional)

1 sorrel head (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Vinegar

  1. After cleaning the chicken and breaking into pieces, slice small cuts into the flesh, and season with salt, pepper and 1 tblsp of vinegar. Let marinate.
  2. Heat 11/2 cups oil in a large pot, and once hot, add the chicken to the pot for a quick fry on each side. Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. In a mortar and pestle, mash tomatoes, set aside with a piece of clean, dried oyster. Place garlic, onion, hot pepper and 1 seasoning packet in mortar and pestle until mashed.This is how gambian cut onions; in their hands. Don’t worry, the knife is relatively dull
  4. Add 2/3rds of the onion/garlic mix to the pot, and stir. Save 1/3rd for later.
  5. Cook the onion/garlic mixture in the oil until onions are golden brown, and then add 1 tblsp water. Allow to cook for ~5 minutes
  6. Add four cups of water to the pot, add the chopped veggies, and return the chicken. Cover and allow to cook at a boil
  7. Add a washed white sorrel to add a “small sour” flavor.
  8. Pick rocks/bugs from your rice, then rinse. Steam the rice for 5 minutes over the boiling pot.*
  9. Remove the chicken and veggies, set aside. Add the rice to the pot, and 1 maggi cube. Lower heat and simmer.
  10. As the rice cooks, turn the rice over to make sure it is cooked thoroughly. When the rice is done, and most of the liquid absorbed, your bennachin is ready!

Now, this is a dish that is best served in a large bowl, with the chicken and veggies piled on top, in the middle. Invite all of your friends around, and dig in – with your hands! :)

A few notes on this meal:

* You know how Mac and Cheese can vary from Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese all the way to super fancy, decadent creamy 4-star Macaroni and Cheese you’d find at some fancy-dancy restaurant? This isn’t Kraft Bennachin, this is 4-star Bennachin.

*Not sure how we’d do this technique in the states…

Maggi is a seasoning cube, chock full of MSG. I’m not sure what we’d use in America to substitute for this.