Senegalese
Vegan
Gluten freeNgalakh (millet in baobab-peanut cream)
Ngalax: the Good Friday dessert Senegalese Christians share with their neighbours
Every Easter, Christian families in Dakar, Thiès and Ziguinchor make big pots of ngalakh and carry bowls of it to Muslim neighbours and friends, a gesture of sharing that many Senegalese treasure. Steamed millet pellets are folded into a thick, tangy cream of baobab pulp and peanut butter, scented with vanilla, orange flower water and nutmeg, and sometimes studded with raisins. It is served chilled, sweet and nutty with a citrus-like sourness from the baobab, and it keeps well for a couple of days. No dairy is used, so it is vegan. Chef's tip: use plain peanut butter with no added sugar or palm oil, and let the dessert rest in the fridge for a few hours, because the flavours only come together once the millet has drunk up some of the cream.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 8
- Per serving
- 390 kcal
Ingredients
For the millet
- 10 ½ oz ready-made millet pellets (araw or sankal)or roll your own from millet flour
- ¾ cup waterlukewarm
For the cream
- 3 ½ oz baobab fruit powder
- 3 cups cold water
- 5 ½ oz sugaror to taste
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp orange flower water
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 ¾ oz raisins (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Sprinkle 10 ½ oz ready-made millet pellets (araw or sankal) with ¼ cup water and rub between your hands to moisten every grain. Leave 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Tip into a bowl, sprinkle with the rest of ¼ cup water, rub out any lumps and steam a second time until the grains are soft right through. Spread out to cool completely.
20 minStep 4: Whisk 3 ½ oz baobab fruit powder into 3 cups cold water and leave 10 minutes, then whisk again and push through a sieve to remove any fibres. It should be like thin yoghurt.
10 minStep 5: Whisk 7 oz smooth unsweetened peanut butter with a ladle of the baobab liquid until smooth, then whisk in the rest along with 5 ½ oz sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp orange flower water and ¼ tsp grated nutmeg.
Step 6: Fold the cold millet and 1 ¾ oz raisins into the cream. It should be loose and creamy; add a splash of water if it is stiff. Folding in warm millet is a common mistake, as it turns the cream gluey, so make sure the grains are cold.
Step 7: Chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, and stir before serving in small bowls. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ngalakh (millet in baobab-peanut cream) take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of smooth unsweetened peanut butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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