Central Africa · Side
Pondu (Slow-Simmered Cassava Leaves)
Finely pounded cassava leaves stewed with aromatics, smoked fish, and rich red palm oil.
The story
Pondu is the quintessential communal dish across the Congo Basin, traditionally made by pounding fresh, tender young cassava leaves in a heavy wooden mortar (eboka). The leaves require extensive, slow boiling to break down fibrous cellular structures and eliminate cyanogenic glucosides, yielding a melting, savory green stew.
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