Chikwanga

Instructions

1. 1 Peel the cassava and cut it into large chunks, removing the woody central core from each piece. Soak the chunks in a large container of water for three to four days, changing the water daily, until the cassava becomes very soft and fermented.
2. 2 Drain the fermented cassava thoroughly, then break it apart with your hands, removing any remaining fibrous strands. The texture should be very soft and slightly sour-smelling, indicating proper fermentation has occurred.
3. 3 Transfer the softened cassava to a large mortar and pound vigorously with a heavy pestle for fifteen to twenty minutes, adding small splashes of water as needed, until you achieve a completely smooth, elastic, and stretchy dough.
4. 4 Cut the softened banana leaves into rectangles approximately thirty centimetres long. Place a portion of the pounded cassava dough in the centre of each leaf and shape it into a compact log about fifteen centimetres long and five centimetres wide.
5. 5 Wrap each cassava log tightly in the banana leaf, folding the sides over first and then rolling snugly to enclose completely. Tie each package securely at both ends and in the middle with kitchen twine to prevent unwrapping during cooking.
6. 6 Place the wrapped packages in a large pot of boiling water, ensuring they are fully submerged. Boil for two to three hours, adding more hot water as needed to keep them covered throughout the entire cooking process.
7. 7 Remove the chikwanga from the water and allow them to cool for fifteen minutes. Unwrap the banana leaves to reveal the dense, smooth, slightly translucent bread inside. Serve alongside grilled fish, stews, or saka-saka as a starchy accompaniment.