Bui

Ingredients

Baobab

• 200 gbaobab fruit pulp, or baobab powder
• 800 mlwater

To finish

• 400 mlmilk, or evaporated milk
• 150 gsugar, or to taste
• 1 tspvanilla
• a pinch of salt

Sometimes

• grated nutmeg
• a squeeze of lime

To serve

• over ice, in a tall glass, in the heat of the day

Directions

1. Put the pulp in warm water and leave it for at least two hours. Give it real time, since the dry pulp dissolves slowly and a brief soak leaves most of the flavour behind.
2. Work it with your hands as it soaks, rubbing the pulp away from the seeds. Never put the mixture in a blender with the seeds still in it.
3. Strain it twice for a smooth drink, since baobab is fibrous. You are left with a thick, pale, sharply sour liquid.
4. Whisk in the milk gradually to soften the acidity. Baobab is acidic enough to curdle fresh milk if it goes in too fast or too concentrated.
5. Add the milk gradually to the diluted baobab rather than the other way round, and keep everything cold. Whisking hard usually brings it back if it separates slightly.
6. Add sugar gradually and taste as you go. It needs more sugar than most drinks because the baobab is genuinely sour.
7. Adjust with more water or more milk until it suits you. Chill it thoroughly and serve it over plenty of ice. Stir it before pouring, since it separates on standing. It keeps two days refrigerated and it thickens as it sits.

Technique

• Bui and bouye are the same drink under different spellings.
• The pulp is dry and powdery, so it must be soaked rather than squeezed.
• It is acidic enough to curdle fresh milk if added carelessly.

Substitutions

• Baobab powder in place of raw pulp.
• Evaporated milk, which is more stable against the acidity.

Variations

• Made without milk, as a sharper drink.
• With nutmeg or lime.
• Frozen in bags, as sold on the street.

History

Baobab pulp is soaked and strained, then sweetened with milk and sugar; the trees grow throughout the country and the fruit is gathered wild.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bui?

Bui is a drink from Gambia: creamy baobab-fruit drink, tangy and pale, served over ice. Baobab pulp is soaked and strained, then sweetened with milk and sugar; the trees grow throughout the country and the fruit is gathered wild.

How long does Bui take to make?

Bui takes 20 min plus 2 hr soaking of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 6 glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Bui?

Yes, within limits. Baobab powder in place of raw pulp. Evaporated milk, which is more stable against the acidity.

What is the most important thing to get right in Bui?

Work it with your hands as it soaks, rubbing the pulp away from the seeds. Never put the mixture in a blender with the seeds still in it.