Rice dambou

Name: Rice dambou
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Niger
Ingredients: 400 g coarse rice semolina or finely broken rice, not precooked; 250 g fresh moringa leaves, weighed without stems, or 250 g fresh spinach; 150 g peeled onion; 30 ml vegetable oil; 3 g salt; 250 ml drinking water for moistening the grain, an initial amount to adjust; 1 small mild chili, optional; Water for the steaming reservoir and blanching the leaves, separate from the moistening water

A rice dambou with moringa leaves, tender yet well separated, steamed and then seasoned with onions and a measured amount of oil. This practical family adaptation uses coarse rice semolina or finely broken rice, not flour. Spinach offers an accessible substitute when fresh moringa is unavailable, without reproducing its exact flavor.

Ingredients

400 g coarse rice semolina or finely broken rice, not precooked
250 g fresh moringa leaves, weighed without stems, or 250 g fresh spinach
150 g peeled onion
30 ml vegetable oil
3 g salt
250 ml drinking water for moistening the grain, an initial amount to adjust
1 small mild chili, optional
Water for the steaming reservoir and blanching the leaves, separate from the moistening water

Preparation

During the 25 min preparation time, weigh all ingredients, sort the leaves and remove tough stems. Wash the leaves in several changes of water, drain and chop. Slice the onion and, if desired, the mild chili on a clean board.

Put the grain in a large bowl. For dusty broken rice, rinse briefly and drain very thoroughly; do not wash clean semolina until it turns into paste. Gradually incorporate 100 ml of the 250 ml water, stir and leave to absorb for 5 min, included in the preparation time.

Fill the bottom of the couscous steamer according to its manufacturer and heat during preparation. The water level must never touch the basket. If necessary, line it with clean food-safe cheesecloth, secured well away from the flame; add the grain without packing it down.

When steam passes through the grains, cover and begin the 50 min cooking time. Steam steadily for an initial 20 min. Check the reservoir without exposing your hands to the jet; add hot water to the bottom if necessary, never directly onto the rice.

During this first steaming, blanch the leaves in a saucepan of boiling water for about 5 min, until tender. Drain and squeeze moderately to remove free water. If the moringa remains tough, cook it longer before incorporating it.

Also during this first steaming, heat the 30 ml oil in a frying pan. Soften the onion and optional chili for 10 min over moderate heat without burning them. Keep everything, including the oil, for finishing; no additional oil is necessary.

After the first 20 min, carefully tip the rice into the bowl. During a break of about 5 min, separate clumps with a fork, dissolve the 3 g salt in 100 ml water and incorporate gradually. Reserve the remaining 50 ml; the grain should absorb water, not sit in it.

Return to the basket without compacting and cook for another 20 min after the steam returns. Taste a few grains cooled on a spoon. If still firm, distribute some or all of the reserved 50 ml, separate the grains and continue in 5 min intervals until the hard center disappears.

For the final 5 min, incorporate the well-drained leaves and all the onion and oil mixture into the tender rice. Return to the steamer until everything is thoroughly hot, then fluff with a fork and serve. Any extensions add to the stated 75 min.