Ebbeh: The Gambia’s No.1 Street Food You Must Try

Ebbeh is a beloved traditional Gambian dish — a thick, tangy, and spicy cassava-based soup often loaded with smoked fish, crab, shrimp, or oysters, and seasoned with bold West African flavors.

Its unique texture and citrusy bite come from a combination of pounded cassava, lime or lemon juice, peppers, tamarind, and palm oil.

This dish is both hearty and refreshing, with a bright, sour kick that sets it apart from other West African stews. It’s commonly served as a lunch or dinner, often eaten communally with a spoon.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Rest Time 5 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Cooking Method: Cooking

Courses: Dinner, Lunch

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 10

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

Ebbeh is a beloved traditional Gambian dish — a thick, tangy, and spicy cassava-based soup often loaded with smoked fish, crab, shrimp, or oysters, and seasoned with bold West African flavors.

Its unique texture and citrusy bite come from a combination of pounded cassava, lime or lemon juice, peppers, tamarind, and palm oil.

This dish is both hearty and refreshing, with a bright, sour kick that sets it apart from other West African stews. It’s commonly served as a lunch or dinner, often eaten communally with a spoon.

Background and Origin

Ebbeh is deeply rooted in Gambian and broader Senegambian culinary traditions, particularly among the Wolof and Mandinka ethnic groups.

Cassava, the base of the dish, is a staple crop in The Gambia — hearty, affordable, and versatile. The use of citrus juices and fermented ingredients reflects the region’s love for bold, tangy, and umami-rich flavors.

Historically, Ebbeh has been a communal dish, prepared for family gatherings, local celebrations, and casual meals — a dish that brings people together around the pot.

Ingredients

5 cassava, peeled and chopped
1 bowl of Pagne
1 small bowl of shrimp
2 smoked mackerel fish, broken into small pieces
5 prawns
4 limes, juiced
5 habanero pepper
2 tbsp smoked powdered prawns
6 crabs
4 tsp of tamarind
1/2 cup of palm oil
1 tsp of salt
1 small bowl of oysters
1 Maggi cube
1 tsp powdered pepper

Instructions

1
How to prepare Gambian Ebbeh
1. In a big pot on medium heat, add the cassava and cover it with water. Add a teaspoon of salt and the smoked mackerel fish. Cook it until soft. Remove the fish and set aside.
2. Add the palm oil at this point and allow the sauce to simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add one scotch bonnet pepper and the smoked powdered prawns to the cooking pot.
4. Allow the ebbeh to boil for 10 minutes. Scoop some of the cassava and the scotch bonnet peppers into a mortar and pound until it's semi-smooth. Transfer it back into the boiling pot.
5. Stir the ebbeh and add the oysters and shrimp.
6. In a separate pot, add the prawns and crab. Blend about 4 scotch bonnet peppers and add them to the crabs and prawns. Add the 2 lime juices and 2 tablespoons of tamarind. Season with a Maggi cube and a pinch of salt. Steam the seafood and add half of it to the cassava sauce.
7. Add the smoked mackerel back into the pot. Allow it to simmer and turn the heat off.
8. Mix two tablespoons of tamarind and lime juice. Add the powdered pepper and mix. Add this mixture to half of the cooked prawns and crabs.
9. Scoop some of the ebbeh into a bowl and garnish with some prawns and crabs from the tamarind sauce.
10. Enjoy!
Video credit: Barrifemme Kitchen–YouTube

Note

Tips for Preparing Ebbeh

You can substitute Maggi cubes with natural spices at your disposal.
Use fresh mackerel if you don’t have the smoked one at your disposal. However, you’ll need to smoke it over an open fire or in the oven to get that smoky taste.
Just pound half of the cooked cassava and not all of it.

Whether served in a roadside eatery or at home during a festive occasion, Ebbeh offers a taste of Gambia’s vibrant culture in every spoonful.

Keywords: ebbeh

Read it online: https://recipebuster.com/recipe/ebbeh-the-gambias-no-1-street-food-you-must-try/