Safou rôti

🫒 Whole African safou fruits roasted gently until their dense flesh softens. Four small accompaniment portions, with no added oil.

Ingredients

• 600 g whole fresh edible safou fruits, about 8–12 depending on size
• 1 g fine salt, optional, for serving

Preparation

Reject mouldy, spoiled or unusually fermented-smelling fruits. Choose similar sizes and weigh 600 g whole fruits.

Rinse under drinking water, gently clean skins and remove stalk debris. Dry with a clean cloth; do not wash with soap.

Preheat a conventional oven to 180 °C, allowing about ten minutes. Line a rimmed tray with suitable baking paper.

Arrange whole fruits in one layer, spaced apart, without added oil. Place in the centre of the hot oven.

Roast about 15–20 minutes, turning halfway with tongs. Check smaller fruits from 15 minutes; flesh should soften under gentle utensil pressure.

Remove ready fruits; give firm ones another three to five minutes at a time. Do not aim for blackened skins.

Cool about five minutes, open lengthwise and check softness. Remove the large stone carefully, avoiding hot flesh and steam.

Divide into four portions; optionally share the 1 g salt across them. Serve warm, stones removed for children. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 24 hours.