Benin

Menu: Yovo doko and pineapple-ginger-lime juice | Recipe Source: Cuisine Beninoise Et d’Ailleurs

I don’t do Cooking Around the World breakfasts very often, but whenever I do, they’re always such a treat (who doesn’t love tropical juice and mini donuts?). The pineapple-ginger-lime juice showcased three of Benin’s non-native-turned-regional-staple produce items, and it was tart, sweet, and refreshing. The mini donuts- called yovo doko locally- are also a food with imported roots. The name loosely translates to “European pastry,” and this national dessert/wildly popular street food is a less fussy mimic of French beignets that’s beloved across West Africa.

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Yovo Doko (link): This recipe called for 500g of all-purpose flour; I went with only 475g and used 25g Bird’s Custard Powder (unsweetened, so basically just corn starch) to make up the difference. Instead of 400ml of warm water, I did 100ml full-fat oat milk and 300ml water, and before adding the liquids to the dry ingredients, I added a hefty dash of vanilla. I let the batter rise for about an hour and 20 minutes and I fried in lard, not oil; and after toweling off the fresh donuts, I gave them a quick roll in white table sugar!

Pineapple-Ginger-Lime Juice: As is typically the case with simple juices, I winged it! I used one whole pineapple, 2 small ginger roots, and 3 limes’ worth of juice. I hand juiced the pineapple and added the liquid + 3tbsp of pineapple flesh to my blender cup, then poured in the lime juice and the peeled ginger root. I pulsed for about 30 seconds, poured the mixture through a strainer, and then added water and agave to my liking.