SETH: Hatib.

HATIB: Seth.

SETH: Nice to meet you.

HATIB: Nice to meet you.

Welcome to Mansa Kunda.

SETH: Thanks for having me.

It's a beautiful, beautiful spot.

HATIB: Thank you very much.

I like hearing that.

SETH: But I got to ask, Mansa Kunda, I don't even know what that means.

HATIB: Mansa Kunda in Mandingo means "the kingdom."

Mansa means "king" and Kunda is "domain."

SETH: Now I gotta say, I don't know too much about The Gambia, but I'm certainly excited to try the food.

HATIB: You aren't alone.

Gambia is a very tiny country, the size of Delaware, with an opening on the Atlantic Ocean, so we do have a lot of seafood.

And the dish that I would like for you to try, has a seafood base of course, and it's called Ebbeh.

Why don't you come let me show you how it's made.

SETH: Let's do it.

So what is this, Hatib?

HATIB: So this is the Yucca, actually it's a very common root in The Gambia.

It's the key ingredient that we use to thicken the broth of the Ebbeh.

SETH: So you're not using roux, you're not using okra, you're literally just going to blend this with water and that's going to create the nice thick base?

HATIB: You'll be surprised at the things that come out of Africa.

In fact, boiling it to where it gets really thick, you can also use it to starch your shirt.

SETH: Starch?

HATIB: I'm very serious.

SETH: Well let's, we'll stick with the food today.

You're going to blend this up, but how are we going to actually flavor this dish?

HATIB: So, we use actually these ingredients: which is the salt, that's powdered smoked catfish.

This is lemon juice.

This is pureed habanero peppers.

And this is actually a spice that I mix by myself.

And this is pure tamarin.

SETH: Tamarin.

HATIB: It gives it also the tangy flavor that you need.

And then we have obviously fresh crabs.

SETH: Love crabs.

HATIB: And then the shrimp also.

SETH: And this is the ... HATIB: And this is crab meat.

SETH: Oh, so we got crab two ways.

HATIB: Now, but before we get into that, make sure that our broth is thickened and ready to go.

What we do is, we just fish out the yucca, and start cutting it.

SETH: Just breaking it apart.

HATIB: Breaking it apart, yeah.

So, not all the way because you want to see some in the dish when you're done.

SETH: But you don't want it to have that totally consistent texture.

You want little chunks.

HATIB: Exactly.

And the more we break the yucca, the more you see that the water itself begins to really, really thicken.

Right now, we're at the process where we can start flavoring the dish.

I will start with the tamarin.

Then, we'll take some of the spices that I mixed together.

Then we do the smoked fish.

SETH: And in Gambia, instead of the powder, they would actually be using actual smoke... HATIB: Exactly.

Actual smoked catfish, yes.

Then we do the lemon juice.

Okay, so this is the heat that goes into it.

I will just add a little bit to it and that should be enough for now.

SETH: A little goes a long way.

HATIB: Yeah.

Here's what the secret ingredient is I've been hiding from you.

SETH: Oh, the secret ingredient?

HATIB: Yes, it's the palm oil.

It gives it the flavor and the color.

It doesn't require a lot.

And that's basically all we need.

SETH: This is kind of bright orange sort of kind of electric color, this is not something that you see in a lot of dishes.

This is... HATIB: No, no, no.

Palm oil is actually very unique.

We use it with actually a lot of dishes back home.

It's like I said, in Gambia, we have an abundance of seafood.

And this is a time when I start to add the crab, the shrimp, everything that goes into that to make it a complete dish.

SETH: Well, I can't wait.

I'm going to head back to the table and let you work your magic.

HATIB: Thank you so much.

SETH: Thanks chef.

HATIB: The Ebbeh is just a unique dish that you do not find somewhere else, unless you cook it at home or come to Mansa Kunda Restaurant, in this area, to eat it.

So I'm very proud of it.

In this restaurant for plating, we do tend to add some of the seafood later.

The dish is not centered around the crab, it's centered around the broth.

The thick broth that is created by the yucca.

So the crab is there to enhance the dish but the richness of that broth is something that is just to die for.

Okay.

So Seth, traditionally, we eat with our hands.

So I'm going to put you through process of hand washing, and then once we are done, then we can go ahead.

So you dig in first, put your hands in, and make sure you use some of that lemon.

SETH: Lemon fresh and ready to go.

The whole soup I'm eating with my hands or can I at least use the spoon for the broth?

HATIB: You will use your spoon also.

SETH: Okay.

HATIB: Very happy to eat the broth with your... SETH: Oh, that is a thing of beauty.

Wow!

And you know, I'm a Maryland kid.

So anytime I see crab on the top of a dish, I'm happy.

HATIB: I'm glad.

Dig in, let me see.

SETH: Hmm!

HATIB: What do you think?

SETH: Oh, it's wonderful.

It's got the heat, but it's got the lemon, the lemon juice.

It's a really bright sort of fresh broth.

And even a little bit of that smokiness that I think comes from the catfish.

HATIB: Oh, good.

SETH: That's excellent.

HATIB: Let's, shall I see you dig in with the... SETH: The hands?

HATIB: The hands.

Yeah.

So, shrimp's a shrimp.

I'm sure you've actually pulled shrimp before.

It's just that this time, you dunk it in.

There you go.

Voila!

SETH: The shrimp and the broth together.

HATIB: There you go.

SETH: Great combination.

I'm just going to leave my hands messy.

HATIB: Yeah.

SETH: Just the way they are.

HATIB: Exactly, yeah.

So basically with crabs, you take in, obviously, just like you would, break it, and just ... SETH: You got it.

HATIB: Just ... SETH: Oh, I'd lose my Maryland card if I couldn't break open a crab.

HATIB: Very good.

There you go.

You just ... SETH: The teeth are doing the work there.

HATIB: The teeth are doing the work.

And now you know, and feel free at any point to just dunk in and, yeah.

SETH: Any way you can get that broth in.

HATIB: Any way you can get that broth in.

Just keep peeling away.

Oh, you know how to eat crab anyway.

SETH: Yeah.

I mean, it usually has a little Old Bay on it.

HATIB: So, how is it?

SETH: Just delicious.

It looks like a gumbo, but it has this flavor.

HATIB: Totally different flavor, yeah.

SETH: Totally different than anything I've ever had.

HATIB: You can see where the palm oil comes in.

It's not just about the color, but it does help also to blend the citrusness so you don't actually feel, that you are left thinking something is too tangy.

SETH: So Hatib, is this how the Ebbeh dish would be prepared if say we were back in Gambia?

HATIB: No, obviously.

I mean, it's a street food.

Now we are in a fine dining restaurant.

So obviously the presentation is different, and the occasion.

SETH: You got to gussy it up a little bit.

HATIB: Exactly.

I mean, this is my restaurant, and I can make up my own recipes.

Now, this is obviously Africa, new Africa together, and the decor of the place and the cuisine that we are trying to introduce, I hope will carry the message.

SETH: Well, I certainly feel that way chef, and I appreciate you letting me get my hands messy, trying this incredible Ebbeh dish.

And can't wait to come back and try some more.

HATIB: Well, thank you so very much.

I appreciate you coming in.