Recipe courtesy of Joao A. Jeque Junior
As part of our new mini-series “Our favourite recipes”, the second post has been written by Joao A. Jeque Junior, Plantwise knowledge bank intern from Mozambique. He tells us how to prepare Xiguinha de “mandioca” made from cassava.
Xiguinha de “mandioca”
Mandioca is the translated Portuguese name for cassava, mostly referred in speaking Portuguese countries in Africa. The importance of cassava in African cultures as the main energy food source has already been acknowledged. In Mozambique cassava is widely used as the main ingredient for dishes across the country. Xiguinha is a traditional dish from South Mozambique widely consumed in both rural and urban areas.
Cassava roots (Photo: iStock Images)
Ingredients:
- 500 gr of cassava
- 2 cups of pounded groundnuts
- 250 gr cacana leaves
- Coconut milk
How to prepare:
- Wash the cassava roots then peel
- Cut the roots into small pieces then put in a saucepan and boil it. Grind the peanuts and reserve to use it afterwards.
- After boiling the cassava remove the water and add the cacana leaves, coconut milk and pounded peanuts at the same time and cook for about 10 minutes without stirring.
- Once cooked, stir until everything is together then poor into a bowl or plate to serve
- It can be served hot or cold
Tips: Cacana is a creeping plant from Cucurbitaceae family with a bitter taste. So, if you want it to be less bitter, boil the leaves for few minutes before mix it with other ingredients. Because cassava is very sensitive to diseases and pests pressure, information about prevention is important to safeguard the contribution of this crop to food security. The Plantwise Knowledge Bank holds information about methods of prevention and control of cassava and groundnut diseases and pests.
Help our communities continue to enjoy Xiguinha de mandioca!!