World cuisines · Central Asia

Hi everyone,

I’m from West Africa and I’d love to introduce a Russian friend to a traditional product from my region: soumbara.

For those who don’t know, soumbara is a condiment made from fermented néré seeds. It has a pretty distinctive smell and a very strong, salty, fermented, umami-rich flavor. In West Africa, we mainly use it to add flavor to sauces, with rice, vegetables, meat, etc.

I’m curious to know, from Russian cuisine lovers: which traditional Russian dish do you think soumbara would pair particularly well with?

I’m looking for a real Russian dish where the combination could be interesting—not just rice or an adapted African dish.

Thanks in advance for your ideas and experiences!