Hanza (Boscia senegalensis) is a traditional foodplant, originating from Sahel region in West Africa. Hanza is a shrub that produces clusters of berry-sized fruits.
Fruits are ready for human consumption at the beginning of the rainy
season, when most crops are just being planted, and there is little
other food available. Fruits can be consumed raw and cooked. Raw fruits
initially contain a sweet pulp that then dries out to a sugary solid,
difficult to separate from seed. Fruits are often cooked prior to
consumption. Juice can also be extracted and boiled down into a
butter-like consistency that can be mixed with millet and milk to make
cakes. In Sudan, the fruit is fermented into a beer.
The seeds of B. senegalensis are also important sources of nutrition, especially during times of famine.
To gain access to the seeds, fruits are dried in the sun, pounded to
remove the outer seed coat and soaked in water for several days,
changing the water every day.The seed soaking process, also known as debittering,
is essential to remove bitter and potentially toxic components. Seeds
are usually cooked prior to consumption. Cooked seeds are texturally
similar to a chickpea and can be used as a cereal substitute in stews,
soups and porridges. Additionally, seeds can be re-dried and stored for
later use or ground into a flour that can be used to make porridge.
Roasted seeds can also serve as a substitute for coffee.
