Pondu
A pounded cassava-leaf stew, also called saka saka, built on an ingredient with its own layered history: cassava itself isn't native to Africa at all, introduced from the Amazon basin by Portuguese traders in the 16th century before becoming a genuine Central African staple. Pondu belongs to a real regional cassava-leaf family that includes Angola's muamba de mandioca, a documented sibling dish using the same leaves with palm oil, though pondu remains its own distinct Congolese dish rather than a copy of it. Real pondu leans on peanut butter or ground groundnuts stirred in for richness, a near-universal ingredient in authentic versions rather than an optional add-in, alongside palm oil and often smoked fish, though it adapts cleanly to a fully vegan version by leaving out the fish and meat.
⚠ Contains: Peanut, Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 500g cassava leaves, pounded or finely chopped (fresh or frozen ground)
- 1/2 cup palm oil
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 200g smoked fish or meat (optional)
- 1 eggplant, chopped (optional)
Steps
- If using fresh cassava leaves, pound them well and simmer in water for 1-2 hours until tender.
- In a separate pot, sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in palm oil.
- Add the cooked cassava leaves, smoked fish or meat if using, and eggplant.
- Stir in the peanut butter and simmer 20-30 minutes, until thickened.
- Season with salt and serve with rice, fufu, or plantain.