🍛 Dzinkoumé (Aklui) – Togolese Corn Couscous with Tomato Sauce
✨ Introduction

Dzinkoumé – also known as Aklui – is a popular dish from Togo. It’s made with roasted cornmeal mixed with a well-seasoned tomato sauce. Often served with grilled chicken or fish, this dish is hearty, filling, and has a unique, slightly smoky flavor.

📝 Ingredients (serves 4)

For the Dzinkoumé (couscous):

• 500 g cornmeal (coarsely ground)

• 1 tbsp oil (for roasting)

• 1 tsp salt

For the tomato sauce:

• 3 large tomatoes

• 1 onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2–3 tbsp palm oil or sunflower oil

• 1 stock cube (Maggi)

• Salt, pepper, chili to taste

• Optional: dried shrimp or fish for extra flavor

👨🏽🍳 Preparation

1. Roast the cornmeal
In a large pan, dry-roast the cornmeal over medium heat until it turns golden and develops a slightly nutty aroma (about 10–15 minutes). Stir constantly to prevent burning.

2. Make the tomato sauce
Blend or finely chop the tomatoes, onion, and garlic.
Heat palm oil (or sunflower oil) in a pot, add the tomato paste and fresh tomato mixture, then season with the stock cube, salt, pepper, and chili.
Let simmer for about 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes flavorful.
(For extra depth, add dried shrimp or fish while simmering.)

3. Cook the Dzinkoumé
Bring about 600 ml of salted water to a boil.
Gradually add the roasted cornmeal while stirring continuously, to avoid lumps.
Lower the heat and keep stirring until the mixture thickens into a smooth, soft couscous-like consistency.

🍽 Serving suggestion
Serve the Dzinkoumé hot with the tomato sauce on top. Traditionally, it’s paired with grilled chicken or fish, but it also goes well with vegetable stews.

💡 Tip
For a richer taste, drizzle a little palm oil over the Dzinkoumé before serving.