If you ever have to think of a more generic food item from Sudan, it’s this…Mullah Tagalia. This warm chunky and stretchy stew brings all sorts of nostalgia starting from whisking, to plating as you drizzle it around a smooth dollop of Aseeda, and eating it in a tight circular seating around the tray.
Looking around, there is no direct history or lineage which could explain the origins of this dish, sadly, but it broadly bears resemblance to West African dishes, specifically stews. Just like the latter, our stews share a common use of okra. Be it wet, dry, or powdered. And the result comes in with a pleasing depth of flavor and and a unique texture that is widely witnessed in the African food scene.
Though, I must admit that this isn’t a conclusive theory but a personal observation.
Mullah Tagalia’s main ingredients comprises of chunks of dried minced meat, tomato paste, and ofcourse waika, which is grounded sun-dried okra. This special ingredient has a mild taste, a bit peppery but earthy. Though this herbal dust holds subtle palatable impression, yet it can’t be treated as seasoning or main point of flavor. However, it is a great compliment and helps in amplifying the depth of the dish while accompanying the saltiness of the stock and the umami-ness caused by fat and protein in the minced meat when melted and caramelized during the frying process. Not t forget the sweetness of the sautéd onions. Waika is the perfect buffer and holds every flavor in the Mullah so well together.
And speaking of holding flavors, waika acts as a thickening agent and provides an elastic and viscous feature to the stew. Notice the clear-slimy substance when you chop the okra? Scientifically, it is a type of sugar and a soluble fiber. It’s not the only plant that produces slime, think of the jelly of aloe or nopal! So in the case of waika, even when okra is sliced, sun-dried, and grounded into a smooth powder, this slime can still form when added in a liquid environment. After some whisking and heating, the stew gradually changes its consistency.
As you take a spoonful of Aseeda…a handful of Kisra or Gorasa….or that piece bread dipped in hot steaming Tagalia closer to you, it continues to stretch out to the dish as if these rich and lively flavors continue to flow infinitely.
It’s hard to describe Tagalia. But if I have to put it in words, I find this dish as humbling, as earthy, and hearty as it could be. Might sound like random words for a person whom had never tried before, but if you have to ask any Sudanese about this dish, you’ll find them wandering in a mindful space of nostalgia. Everything about it resembles the nature of Sudan. This rusty – maroon colored stew with its distinctive aroma and unique texture and flavor brings back all that nostalgic feel which I have been missing for the longest period I could remember.
Would love you try give Tagalia stew a try at the Tokul Supper Club which I will be hosting every week. Make this a culinary trip to Sudan as you experience traditional Sudanese food under a different light full of good food, good company, music, and stories.
Tokul 