Southern Africa · Side
Kizaka (Pounded Cassava Leaf Stew)
Earthy, finely pounded cassava leaves slow-simmered in rich red palm oil and velvety roasted peanut paste.
The story
Among the Bakongo and Ambundu peoples of northern Angola, Kizaka (also known as Quisaca) serves as the quintessential daily accompaniment to funge de bombo. Prepared for family gatherings and festive weekend banquets, it reflects the agrarian rhythm of cassava cultivation across Uíge, Zaire, and Luanda provinces. Historically, the fresh tender leaves are systematically pounded in a heavy wooden mortar (almofariz) before cooking to rupture plant cell walls and disperse cyanogenic glucosides safely during boiling.
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