These juices are essential to Senegalese hospitality (Teranga) and are known for being natural, revitalizing and easy to prepare.
1. Bissap Rouge (Hibiscus Juice)
- Ingredients: Dried hibiscus flowers (red), sugar, vanilla sugar and mint sprigs.
- Preparation: Rinse the flowers and boil them in water for about 10 to 15 minutes (or let them steep in hot water). Filter the liquid, add the sugar, vanilla and fresh mint. Let cool completely.
2. Bouye (Baobab fruit juice)
- Ingredients: Monkey bread (baobab pulp with seeds), water, sugar, and milk (liquid or powder).
- Preparation: Soak the baobab fruits in water until the pulp softens and separates from the seeds. Pass everything through a fine sieve to obtain a thick, smooth liquid. Add the sugar and milk for a creamy texture. Flavor with a pinch of nutmeg or vanilla if desired.
3. Ginger Juice
- Ingredients: Fresh ginger root, water, sugar and lemon or lime juice.
- Preparation: Peel and mix the ginger with water. Filter the mixture to remove the fibers. Add fresh lemon juice and sugar to balance the spiciness of the ginger. You can add a little pineapple juice or mint for a softer finish.
4. Ditakh juice
- Ingredients: Fruit of Ditakh (Detarium senegalense), water, sugar and vanilla.
- Preparation: Break the hard shell of the ditakh to release the fibrous green pulp. Soak the pulp in water, then scrub it by hand or blend it briefly to extract the juice. Filter, then add the sugar and vanilla. The result is a bright green drink, very rich in nutrients.
Preparation Tips
- Service: All these juices are best enjoyed well frozen.
- Variants: You can mix them! For example, the Ginger Bissap or the Bouye at Ditakh are very popular combinations in Senegal