Lake Chad fish split, smoked over wood and dried hard for keeping. Catches from the lake and the Chari are smoked whole into banda and traded as far as Nigeria and Cameroon; salanga is the salted, sun-dried version of the same trade.
It is a preservation trade built on continuous wood-fired smoking racks and Sahelian dry heat; a domestic version dries too slowly to be safe.
What goes into it
- lake and river fish
- hardwood for smoke
- salt, for the salanga version
How it is made
The fish is gutted, sometimes split, and laid on a rack over a smouldering wood fire in a mud oven or open frame. It smokes and dries together over a day or two until it is rigid and dark. Salanga is instead salted and dried in the sun without smoke.
How long it takes: one to three days
How it is eaten
Broken into sauces and soups across the Sahel, where it supplies both protein and seasoning.
History
Catches from Lake Chad and the Chari are smoked whole into banda and traded as far as Nigeria and Cameroon; salanga is the salted, sun-dried version.
Frequently asked questions
What is Banda?
Banda is a charcuterie & cured from Chad: lake Chad fish split, smoked over wood and dried hard for keeping. Catches from Lake Chad and the Chari are smoked whole into banda and traded as far as Nigeria and Cameroon; salanga is the salted, sun-dried version.
How is Banda made?
The fish is gutted, sometimes split, and laid on a rack over a smouldering wood fire in a mud oven or open frame. It smokes and dries together over a day or two until it is rigid and dark. Salanga is instead salted and dried in the sun without smoke. It takes one to three days.
Can I make Banda at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a preservation trade built on continuous wood-fired smoking racks and Sahelian dry heat; a domestic version dries too slowly to be safe.
What goes into Banda?
Lake and river fish, hardwood for smoke, salt, for the salanga version.
How is Banda eaten?
Broken into sauces and soups across the Sahel, where it supplies both protein and seasoning.
