Senegalese · side

Fonio with Vegetables

Fonio with Vegetables reads citrus 5.1, sourness 5.0 and sweetness 3.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Senegalese side, about 54 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.1 · Sourness 5.0 · Sweetness 3.9 · Funk & Ferment 3.9 · Heat 3.6 · Salinity 3.6 · Allium 3.6 · Nutty 2.8 · Richness 2.4 · Umami 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Fruity 2.0 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0 · Floral 1.0 · Warm Spice 0.7

What's in it (14)

• fonio — 300 g
• water — 370 g
• peanut oil — 41 g
• onion — 180 g
• carrot — 100 g
• butternut squash — 150 g
• green beans — 100 g
• red pepper — 120 g
• garlic — 6 g
• scotch bonnet chillies — 100 g
• netetou — 15 g
• salt — 7 g
• lime juice — 30 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 54 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 17.2 kcal, 0.5 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 3.9 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Put the fonio in a bowl, cover it with cold water and rub the grains between your palms; pour off the cloudy water and repeat twice more, about 5 minutes in all. Fonio is threshed on the ground and always carries a little sand.
2. Drain it in a fine sieve for 5 minutes, until it is damp rather than wet.
3. Line a steamer with muslin, add the fonio and steam over 250 ml of the water for 10 minutes.
4. Turn the fonio into a wide bowl, sprinkle over the remaining 120 ml water and 1 tablespoon of the oil, and rake it with your fingers for 5 minutes to break every lump.
5. Steam it a second time for 10 minutes. The double steam is the whole technique: it is what gives fonio separate, fluffy grains instead of a paste.
6. Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the onion 5 minutes until translucent.
7. Add the carrot, squash, red pepper, garlic, chilli and crushed netetou and cook 8 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are just short of tender.
8. Add the green beans and cook 4 minutes, covered, so they steam through but keep their colour.
9. Season with the salt.
10. Fold the hot fonio through the vegetables for 2 minutes.
11. Finish with the lime juice and the chopped parsley and serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Dhokla — Indian
• Tirokafteri (Spicy Feta Dip) — Greek
• Black Bean Enchiladas with Melted Cheese — Tex-Mex
• Crispy Beef Tacos Dorados — Mexican
• Crispy Tofu Banh Mi Bowls — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.