Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Republic of the Congo

Ask what Republic of the Congo eats and the answer starts with this: cassava-leaf saka saka, palm-butter moambé, leaf-steamed maboké fish and Brazzaville grilled goat. Look for Poulet moambé (chicken stewed in moambé palm butter, with rice or chikwangue), Saka saka (pounded cassava leaves cooked with palm oil, peanut and smoked fish) and Maboké (freshwater fish seasoned and steamed in large leaf parcels). Chicken simmered in pulp pressed from oil palm fruit, claimed as national dish by both Congos and served with cassava leaves and rice. This atlas has 25 Republic of the Congo dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

25 dishes.

ChikwangueChikwangueTangy fermented cassava loaf steamed in leavesCossa cossaCossa cossaBig river prawns grilled over charcoal and eaten with chilli and lemonDongo-dongoDongo-dongoSilky okra sauce with fishFufuFufuStiff cassava-corn flour swallow rolled to scoop stewsGinger juiceGinger juiceSweet-spicy fresh ginger drinkLitumaLitumaRipe plantain mashed and rolled into balls, eaten with meat or fish sauceMabokéMabokéRiver fish seasoned and steamed in folded leaf parcels over embersMakayabuMakayabuSalted cod fried or stewed with peppers and onionMakembaMakembaPlantains boiled or fried beside every stewMbala pindaMbala pindaCassava paste worked with roasted groundnuts, wrapped and steamed into a chewy barMbinzoMbinzoDried caterpillars fried with chili and onion, protein-rich delicacyMets de pistacheMets de pistacheGround squash seeds steamed in leaf parcels into a dense savoury loafMfumbwaMfumbwaShredded wild gnetum leaves stewed with palm oil, peanut paste and smoked fishMikateMikatePuffy fried dough balls sold from morning stallsMpiodiMpiodiSmall horse mackerel fried whole and eaten hot with chili and cassavaNgai ngaiNgai ngaiSour hibiscus-leaf sauce simmered with smoked fishNtabaNtabaCharcoal-grilled goat, Kinshasa nightlife stapleNtoba mbodiNtoba mbodiCassava leaves fermented in leaf parcels then steamed, sharp and strong smellingPalm winePalm wineSweet-then-sour sap tapped from the oil palm, drunk the day it runsPili piliPili piliCrushed hot chili paste set on the table beside every dishPoisson braiséPoisson braiséChari River capitaine grilled over coals with chili, onion and limePoulet moambéPoulet moambéChicken stewed in moambé palm butter, with rice or chikwangueSafouSafouViolet African plum roasted until buttery, eaten with roast maizeSaka madesuSaka madesuCassava leaves stewed with beans and palm oil, eaten with chikwangueSaka sakaSaka sakaPounded cassava leaves cooked with palm oil, peanut and smoked fish

  • Chikwangue

    Tangy fermented cassava loaf steamed in leaves. Ready in 1 hr prep and 1 hr 30 min cooking. 6 loaves.…

  • Cossa cossa

    Big river prawns grilled over charcoal and eaten with chilli and lemon. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 15 minutes…

  • Dongo-dongo

    Silky okra sauce with fish. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking. Serves 6. A soup & stew…

  • Ginger juice

    Sweet-spicy fresh ginger drink. Ready in 20 minutes prep and none cooking. Makes about 1.5 litres. A drink recipe from…

  • Lituma

    Ripe plantain mashed and rolled into balls, eaten with meat or fish sauce. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30…

  • Maboké

    River fish seasoned and steamed in folded leaf parcels over embers. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking.…

  • Makemba

    Plantains boiled or fried beside every stew. Ready in 15 min prep and 30 min cooking. 6 servings. A salad…

  • Makayabu

    Salted cod fried or stewed with peppers and onion. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 40 minutes cooking. Serves 6.…

  • Mbala pinda

    Cassava paste worked with roasted groundnuts, wrapped and steamed into a chewy bar. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 1…

  • Mbinzo

    Dried caterpillars fried with chili and onion, protein-rich delicacy. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves 6.…