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Meat, Africa and overseas

Bébélé from Marie-Galante

Bébélé is a Guadeloupean stew from Marie-Galante made with tripe, green plantains, potatoes and small flour dumplings called dombrés. This recipe serves 4, takes about 2.5 hours, is medium difficulty and costs €3.50 per serving. Success depends on simmering the tripe long enough and shaping small dumplings so they cook through properly.

Tonight, we're tasting the tradition of Marie-Galante with a bébélé, a stew of tripe, green plantains and small flour dumplings.

Bébélé from Marie-Galante
Total time
2 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
730 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Bébélé combines a sauce scented with thyme, garlic and scallions with tender tripe, green plantains that hold their shape during cooking, and dombrés, small flour dumplings that thicken the stew while staying soft inside. The whole chili pepper adds fragrance without too much heat, and you can remove it before serving if you'd rather keep things mild.

This is a weekend or holiday dish, the kind you start early afternoon to enjoy that evening. It takes time but needs little attention once everything is simmering. Plan it for a lazy Sunday with family or friends curious about Marie-Galante cooking, rather than a rushed weeknight dinner.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Cooked tripe 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green plantains 3
  • Potatoes 500 g
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Scallions 4
  • Chili pepper 1

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 150 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the tripe into strips and sear it in the oil with the onions, garlic, scallions and thyme. 10 min

    Add it to a very hot pan, it won't release liquid.

  2. Cover with water, add the whole chili pepper, season with salt and pepper, and let simmer covered. 1 h

    If you're using raw tripe, double the cooking time.

  3. Peel the green plantains and potatoes, cut them into large chunks and add them to the pot.

    Keep the plantains in lemon water so they don't turn black.

  4. Mix the flour with a little salted water into a firm dough and shape small balls, the dombrés.

    Roll them with floured hands, keep them small.

  5. Slide the dombrés into the stew and let them cook gently until they float to the surface. 25 min

    Don't stir too much, they can fall apart before they're set.

Our tips to get it right

  • Buy tripe that's already cooked from your butcher, it cuts the cooking time significantly compared to raw tripe.
  • Taste the broth before adding the dombrés, it's your last easy chance to adjust the salt.
  • Let the stew rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving, the sauce thickens a bit more as it cools slightly.

The variations

  • Swap the tripe for braising beef if you want a version that's easier to find at the supermarket.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the tripe with cooked kidney beans and add the dombrés just as in the original recipe.
  • To save time, use precooked tripe that's already cut and reduce the simmering time to 40 minutes before adding the vegetables.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Antillean vegetarian hot sauce on the side
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice

Storage

Bébélé keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, ideally without the dombrés, which hold up less after thawing. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make bébélé with raw tripe?

Yes, but you'll need to double the cooking time given in the recipe. Check that the tripe is fully tender before adding the plantains and potatoes.

What exactly is a dombré?

It's a small ball of dough made from flour and salted water, typical of the Caribbean. It cooks directly in the broth and naturally thickens the stew's sauce.

Can bébélé be made ahead?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the stew tastes better reheated the next day. Make the stew without the dombrés and add fresh ones when reheating for the best texture.

How do you keep green plantains from turning black?

Soak them in lemon water as soon as they're peeled and cut. Drain them right before adding to the stew.

How long does it take to make a bébélé from Marie-Galante?

Count 2 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a bébélé from Marie-Galante?

About 730 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bébélé from Marie-Galante cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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