Hello there foodies, It has been a while since I posted a new recipe here. Sorry about that I have not forgotten about you, life has been happening.
Today, I want to share with you a Congolese delicacy that to be honest deserve a national day in the Congo but that is a story for an other day.
This dried cassava leaves is grown roasted, pounded and dried in Beni an eastern region of the Congo. I you leave in the USA or Canada, you can find this particular brand in most exotic super market or you can buy directly from the wholesaler who has exclusive distribution in both countries.
The ingredients I used are simply my personal preference, you can cook this the same as you cook the fresh or frozen pounded cassava leaves.
Ingredients:
š©š¾āš³ 1 pack of 400g dried cassava leaves.
š©š¾āš³ 1 large aubergine finely diced.
š©š¾āš³ 1 large leek finely diced.
š©š¾āš³ 2 medium onion finely diced.
š©š¾āš³ 6 minced garlic gloves.
š©š¾āš³ 3 bay leaves.
š©š¾āš³ 3 cube vegetable stock.
š©š¾āš³ 1 cup ground raw red peanut.
š©š¾āš³ 300 g dried smoked fish ( I used cat fish).
š©š¾āš³ 200g palm oil.
š©š¾āš³ 2 scotch bonnet chilli ( optional).
š©š¾āš³ Salt to taste.
š©š¾āš³ About 2L hot boiling water for cooking.
Methods:
š©š¾āš³ Place a large heavy bottom pan on the stove, pour in 2 litters of water and bring to a boil on high heat.
š©š¾āš³ Wash the dried cassava leaves under hot running tap water.
š©š¾āš³ Add the washed cassava leaves to the boiling water and cook uncovered on high heat for 30 minutes.
š©š¾āš³ Once the cassava is cooking, wash and diced all the remaining vegetables you are going to use.
š©š¾āš³ After 30 minutes and once the water in the cassava leaves has completely evaporated, add in the diced aubergine, leek, onions and minced garlic, pour in more hot water, cover and continue cooking for an other 30 minutes.
š©š¾āš³ Meanwhile, soak the dried smoked fish in boiling water for 30 minutes. after 30 minutes, remove the fish from the bones , place the rehydrated boneless fish in a clean bowl and wash them well with hot water.
š©š¾āš³ After the second 30 minutes, add the clean fish, ground peanut, palm oil and seasonings of choice and mix well. Add in more hot water if needed or to your liking, cover reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for an other 30 minutes or until fully cooked. If using the chilli, add them in the last 15 to 10 minutes so that they can stay whole and firm.
š©š¾āš³ Serve over plain steamed white rice and enjoy.
It also goes well fufu, plantain, Kwanga...
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