Burkina Faso

The dish

Dégué is made from steamed millet combined with yogurt and condensed milk. It’s sold cold by street vendors and eaten for breakfast or as a snack.

What we thought

I thought for sure I would hate this dish, as I tend to dislike porridge dishes, especially when served with fresh fruit. This was good. Dégué was a refreshingly sweet breakfast that reminded me of rice pudding or a parfait. The dish took a few bites to grow on me, but I would make this one again considering how good and easy it was.

The average rating was a 4.0. Interestingly, people swapped places, with my wife not liking the dish and my picky eater giving it a 4.5 (her highest rating yet).

Ingredients and directions

Ingredients

Millet Base

• 1 cup millet couscous
• 2 cups water
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Cream

• 6 ounces evaporated milk (about half a can)
• ½ tablespoon lime zest
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 1½ cups Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

• Diced mango
• Toasted coconut flakes

Directions

1. Rinse the millet and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the water and salt, then cover the bowl loosely with microwave-safe plastic wrap.
2. Microwave for 8–10 minutes, then leave the millet in the microwave for another 3 minutes. It should be soft but still retain a little texture. If it is still crunchy, keep it covered and microwave for another 3 minutes.
3. Drain any remaining water from the millet. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until it is golden brown and smells nutty. Pour the browned butter over the millet and toss to combine.
4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the evaporated milk, lime zest, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until smooth.
6. Strain the evaporated-milk mixture into the yogurt mixture, discarding the lime zest and cinnamon stick. Whisk until combined.
7. Place the cream mixture and millet in the freezer separately for 5–8 minutes to cool.
8. Add the millet to the cream mixture and stir until just combined. Return it to the freezer for another 5–10 minutes, or refrigerate for about 2 hours. The finished dish should be thoroughly chilled and have the consistency of a cold pudding.
9. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with diced mango and toasted coconut flakes.