Ivorian Sorghum Beer Porridge

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A traditional Ivorian breakfast porridge made with fermented sorghum beer (bangui) and thickened with sorghum and millet flours, gently spiced with ginger and sweetened to balance the beer's natural tang. Served warm, it is a comforting everyday dish enjoyed across Côte d'Ivoire.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 315 kcalCalories
• 2 gFat
• 0.5 gSaturated Fat
• 66 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 24 gSugar
• 7 gProtein
• 55 mgSodium
• 240 mgPotassium
• 35 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 3 mgVitamin C
• 15 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the porridge

• 4 cups (960 ml) traditional sorghum beer (bangui)
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 1 cup (120 g) sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup (60 g) millet flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp fine salt

For serving (optional)

• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
• 1 small ripe mango, diced
• Extra sugar or honey, to taste

Directions

1. Pour the sorghum beer and water into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the sorghum flour and millet flour with about 1/2 cup of cold water until you have a smooth, lump-free slurry.
3. Once the beer mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the flour slurry in a thin stream, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Add the grated ginger, ground cloves, and salt, and stir well to combine. The mixture will begin to thicken within a minute or two.
5. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom of the pot, for 15 to 18 minutes until the porridge is thick, smooth, and creamy.
6. Stir in the sugar and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until fully dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if the beer's bitterness is still pronounced.
7. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the porridge rest for 5 minutes; it will thicken further as it stands.
8. Ladle the porridge into warm bowls and top each serving with crushed roasted peanuts and diced fresh mango, passing extra sugar at the table.

Cook’s Notes

• Traditional bangui ranges from mildly sweet to quite bitter depending on the brewer, so always taste before sweetening and adjust the sugar at the end of cooking.
• If authentic sorghum beer is unavailable, a homemade fermented sorghum drink or a mildly sour dark wheat beer can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will not be identical.
• Stir frequently and keep the heat low once the flours are added, as sorghum porridge sticks and scorches easily on the bottom of the pot.
• The porridge thickens considerably as it cools, so remove it from the heat while it is still slightly looser than your desired final consistency.
• Best enjoyed fresh and warm; leftover porridge tends to set into a stiff, gluey texture that does not reheat smoothly.

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