Tô Mousso

Tô Mousso are fried balls of white bean flour mixture that are extremely yummy!

The other night while we sat at a friend, Ardjouma’s, Maquis we shared a plate of the best Tô Mousso in town! I then asked the woman, in my broken Dioula, if she could teach me how to make it. We came to understand that I could learn if I came back the next day at noon to her house. So the next day I headed off to the Maquis and Ardjouma took me to her place. I think she was a little surprised to see me yet happy that I wanted to learn. I spent the next hours pounding white beans to remove the skins, then letting them soak in water and garlic. I also prepared the sauce that you dip them in, made of zucchini’s, tomatoes, hot peppers and onions and boiled a long time. It’s so tasty! After the beans soak a while they are then brought to the grinding mill to be made into flour. This flour is later mixed with water into a foamy dough mixture. Using your fingers you drop little handfuls of dough into very hot oil and cook till they are golden and a little crunchy.

For a couple hours that night I helped her make Tô Mousso, friend potatoes wedges and fried plantains at her little street stall on the side of the road. Most people passing by couldn’t help but stop and smile at the fact that I was working at a street stall and making something that they all love. Soon I was making little packages for people, 10 pieces for 50 F CFA, but she always gives one extra as a thank you to the client. People were laughing at the site of me. All in all she has me as a faithful client and I will return to help out any day!