Tuo Zaafi with Ayoyo (Soft Corn Mash with Greens Soup)

Method

1. 1

   Put the beef in a pot with the onion, scotch bonnet, bouillon cube and enough water to cover; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

2. 2

   Cook until the beef is fork-tender, skimming off any foam, about 40 minutes.

3. 3

   Lift out the beef and set it aside; keep the broth on the heat — this becomes the ayoyo soup base.

4. 4

   Add the jute leaves to the broth and boil briefly, then whisk vigorously until the soup turns glossy and starts to 'draw' (goes slightly slippery).

   💡 No jute leaf? The spinach-and-okra swap noted in the ingredients gives a similar drawing texture.

5. 5

   Return the beef to the soup and keep it warm over low heat while you make the tuo.

6. 6

   Whisk a little of the cornmeal with cold water to a thin, lump-free slurry, then stir it into a separate pot of boiling water.

7. 7

   Beat in the remaining cornmeal and the millet flour a little at a time, working out any lumps, until the mash is soft, smooth and barely holds its shape.

   💡 Tuo zaafi is softer than banku — it should slump slowly off the spoon.

8. 8

   Serve the warm tuo in a bowl with the ayoyo soup and meat ladled generously over the top.