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Kouavalo (Steamed Cassava Dough with Spicy Peanut Sauce)
Dense, stretchy steamed cassava dumplings smothered in a fiery, smoked-fish and roasted peanut sauce from southwestern Burkina Faso.
The story
In the southwestern Poni province around Gaoua, the Lobi and Dagara peoples prepare Kouavalo for substantial communal evening gatherings following a long day of labor. The dish pairs gelatinous steamed cassava balls with a richly layered, pounded arachide sauce enhanced by dried freshwater fish and soumbala. Traditionally, the cassava starch is worked vigorously while hot to activate amylopectin retrogradation, which provides the characteristic elastic texture without adding external binders.
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