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Kokonte (Sun-Dried Cassava Flour Swallow with Groundnut-Palm Soup)
Silky, dark fermented cassava swallow served alongside a rich, fiery peanut and palm oil broth brimming with tender meat and smoked fish.
The story
Popular across Akan and Ga communities, Kokonte is a working-class staple historically eaten as an affordable, hearty midday or evening meal. The dish pairs sun-dried, naturally oxidized cassava root flour with savory groundnut and palm soups. The swallow's distinctive deep brown hue is produced by enzymatic browning during the traditional open-air drying of peeled cassava tubers on raised reed racks.
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