Tô with sesame sauce

🍲 This recipe combines maize tô and its sauce, listing ingredients for both.

Ingredients

• For the tô: 300 g food-grade maize flour
• For the tô: 1200 ml drinking water
• For the tô: 2 g salt
• For the sauce: 120 g food-grade hulled sesame seeds
• For the sauce: 300 g tomatoes
• For the sauce: 150 g peeled onion
• For the sauce: 15 g vegetable oil
• For the sauce: 700 ml drinking water
• For the sauce: 10 g food-grade soumbala, crumbled
• For the sauce: Up to 3 g salt, depending on the soumbala

Preparation

For the tô: Mix the 300 g flour with 400 ml cold water until even, with no dry lumps.

For the tô: Bring the remaining 800 ml water to a gentle simmer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir the cold mixture again and gradually pour it into the hot water while stirring.

For the tô: Lower the heat. Work the paste with a spatula for about 25 minutes, scraping the bottom and folding the mixture; use a longer time if required by the flour packet. If needed, gradually adjust with a little hot water.

For the tô: Incorporate the 2 g salt. Check that the paste is cooked and supple, then divide into four portions. Prepare the sauce separately.

For the sauce: Toast the 120 g sesame in a dry pan over moderate heat for about 3 minutes, stirring. Stop before burning. Allow to become safe to handle, then grind finely. Mix the ground sesame with 200 ml taken from the 700 ml water.

For the sauce: Slice the 150 g onion and chop the 300 g tomatoes. Soften onion in the 15 g oil for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring.

For the sauce: Add the remaining 500 ml water, 10 g soumbala and sesame mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly across the bottom.

For the sauce: Check that the sauce is even and sufficiently cooked. Adjust with a little hot water if needed or gently reduce while stirring. Taste before salting, keeping within the stated 3 g. Divide into four sauce portions. Prepare tô or rice separately.