Pondu — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A thick, hearty stew of finely pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil, onions, and smoked fish until meltingly tender and deeply savory.

Ingredients

1 Strip cassava leaves from their stems and wash thoroughly in several changes of water.
2 Pound the leaves in a mortar until finely broken down, or blend in batches.
3 Heat palm oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant.
4 Add the pounded cassava leaves, water, bouillon cubes, and salt. Stir well.
5 Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until leaves are very tender.
6 Add smoked fish and scotch bonnet peppers. Cook for 20 more minutes. Serve with fufu or rice.

Did You Know?

Pondu takes so long to cook that Congolese cooks say you should start it before you even know who is coming for dinner — someone will always show up.