Thumpy Rose Congo is ripe with a large number of dense forests, aplenty grasslands, and tracts of swamps which helps its wholesome ingredients. Thus, food from Congo delights inhabitants with an abundance of healthy vegetables that are popular in Congolese cuisine like the pondu recipe and dongo food. All of which has wholesome ingredients. The country boasts a mighty reservoir of native plants and trees. As a result, vegetable growing is a common practice and one can expect this through out West Africa.
Usually, people of Congo like to use fresh vegetables mixed with a variety of spices. Otherwise, they simply boil vegetables to prepare their meals. Following is the list of the top 5 Congolese vegetables locals use to make scrumptious Congolese cuisine like pondu recipe or dongo food. Some vegetarians would love to devour these and nutritionally benefit from them.
Cassava is popular in Congolese Cuisine
Food from Congo has Cassava as the primary crop. Congo produces Cassava significantly with the highest volume. It is one of the staple ingredients in Congolese cuisine. Cassava or manioc is a nutty-flavored, starchy root vegetable. There are myriads of dishes Congolese make using Cassava. Vegan Cassava Leaf Stew, Cassava Leaf Soup, Fufu, Pondu (or Saka Saka or Le Saka), Kwanga (or Chikwanga), and Tshomba tshia kabiola are a few examples to name. Moreover, Congolese like to nosh on boiled cassava leaves with other meals. These include Moambe (or Mossaka) and Madesu, all with wholesome ingredients.
Particularly, Pondu and Fufu are the most popular Congolese cuisine. Pondu or feuilles de manioc in French is the love of every Congolese. People routinely make it using ground cassava leaves, palm oil, peanut paste, garlic, onions, green peppers, scallions, beans, and animal proteins.
Fufu, in simple terms, is a small round ball of yummy starch. Locals eat Fufu with almost every Congolese food. To illustrate, Fufu is a flour dough. Congolese prepare it with boiled cassava, plantains, yams, and other starchy ingredients.
Tshomba tshia kabiola is a dessert. Generally, it includes cassava, milk, sugar, and peanuts. People of Congo cook Kwanga from fermented cassava and wrap in banana leaves. It is Congo’s other traditional bread. Talk about a helpful meal made with wholesome ingredients.
Related: Semoule- Congo Fufu Is Riche
Food from Congo-Wild spinach Delicacy
Wild spinach or Fumbwa (in Congolese language) or Gnetum africanum (in English) is another Congolese vegetable. Locals like to eat it more often than not. One can prepare Fumbwa in palm oil and peanut butter with tomatoes, peanuts, and onions.
Okra
Dongo Dongo food is a Congolese name for Okra. It is yet another traditional Congo cuisine. People of Congo usually cook this dish either as soup or sauce using Okra, onions, garlic, and preferably animal protein.
Related: Dongo Dongo
Sweet potatoes
Congolese locals also love to relish sweet potatoes. This starchy root vegetable is easily available in almost all parts of Congo. Sweet potato is essential for preparing delectable Congolese cuisine. These include Matembele, Makayabu, and mbala.
Matembele is made from the leaves of sweet potatoes and added with only a few spices and oil, another example of wholesome ingredients.
Another favorite delicacy of Congolese is Makayabu. It is also known as Sauce aux Feuilles de Patates Douces (in French). It comprises salted seafood protein and sweet potatoes.
Mbala is of two kinds. Mbala ya sukali includes sweet potatoes. While mbala ya mungwa has unsweetened potatoes.
Related: Food In Congo-Best Congolese Drinks
Food from Congo Offers Root Vegetables
A variety of Congolese cuisine incorporate yams such as Fufu and Futari . While Futari is a combination of squash, yams, and coconut milk. People like to eat boiled yam with Pondu recipe, Liboké de viande, and other Congo food.
Concluding Thoughts
It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning to visit or stay in Congo for your work or any other reason. These west African vegetarian dishes are a must-try. Tell us in comments, would you sample pondu recipe or dongo food?
Have you tried any food from Congo before? How do you typically eat them? Curious about a no-animal-meat food lifestyle? Peep instagram to see what I eat live😊.
Related: Congolese African cabbage recipe
