Soumbala

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Soumbala is a condiment and is usually prepared by women over the course of several days from néré (Parkia biglobosa) seeds.

This condiment is traditionally sold in balls that can be kept for several months at a time in the case of the best quality. It is popular in several countries of West Africa, notably Mali and Burkina Faso. The traditional production now faces strong competition from low-quality stock cubes due to heavy publicity. Soumbala is rich in proteins and a variety of dietary minerals, which are completely absent from these bouillon cubes. In the recent years, however, good quality commercial production has allowed the product to make a comeback into everyday cuisine.