Top 20 Most Popular Foods in Congo - Chef's Pencil

!
"
# $ %
Top 20 Most
Popular Foods in
Congo
Posted on Jan 8th, 2022 by Junior Boweya
Categories: African Cuisines
MY LATEST VIDEOS
00:00 / 01:33
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the

second largest country in Africa spanning
over 2,345,000 square kilometers.
The national territory is mainly covered by

dense equatorial forest; it stretches from
the Atlantic coast in the west to the Great
Lakes region in the east. There are
savannahs in the northeast and south, but
also gallery forests, high plateaus, and
mountains in the east.
In the heart of the country, we find the

central basin, which is very humid with a
significant presence of watercourses and
swamps.
Africa's Big 7 2023

18 - 20 June 2023
Discover thousands of products from
global exhibitors within the retail ready
F&B space.
africabig7.com
OPEN
The forests and savannahs of the country

offer an immense variety of species of
animals and birds, and the lakes and rivers
teem with fish, while the vegetation offers
a rich array of vegetables and fruits that is
the culinary delight of the nearly 450
ethnic groups in this country of about 100
million inhabitants.
This cultural variety associated with the

biodiversity of the country opens up an
impressive field of gastronomical
possibilities; each region has its native
species of plants and animals that locals
can cook using their own cultural and
historical sensibilities.
Food habits are often linked to the region

of origin; fish is a staple food for those
living on the rivers, meat-heavy dishes for
Congolese living in tropical savannah
regions, while those living in wooden
topical areas will primarily eat vegetarian
food.
It would not be possible to describe all the

gastronomical diversity of the DRC in the
context of this article, but we will focus on
20 of the most popular dishes.
Sign up to Mukuru via WhatsApp
Mukuru Open
1. Liboke
Credits: chez_tantie_jai_faim
It is a dish generally composed of boiled

fish with tomato, salt, and chili and
wrapped in banana leaves or other wild
plants, which will imbue the fish with their
aromas. Everything is then put on a grill.
Adding other spices, such as garlic and
celery, enhances the flavor.
Join us at Africa's Big 7

2023
18 - 20 June 2023
Discover thousands of products from global
exhibitors within the retail ready F&B space.
africabig7.com
OPEN
The fish can also be replaced with various

other ingredients, like chicken, pork,
squash, and many more. It’s all a matter of
preference.
2. Pondu
Credits: tshitshis.casseroles
Pondu is one of the most popular dishes

throughout the country.
The dish is made using prepared cassava

leaves that are cooked in a pot, with or
without spices. In the center of the
country, for example, pondu is simply
cooked with water and a pinch of salt. In
other parts of the country, oil—particularly
palm oil—and spices are added, as well as
onions, eggplants, scallions, etc.
"#$%!#
&%'()*#*+
,&#+!#-
%#,+
)-%
It can be enjoyed with rice as well as fufu

or plantains, but this list is not exhaustive.
You can also add beef, fish, or beans to the
dish.
3. Fufu
Next to pondu, fufu is one of—if not the—

staple food par excellence of the Congo.
From north to south, from east to west,
fufu is present on all Congolese tables.
There are two main types: corn fufu and

cassava fufu.
Corn fufu is made from corn flour mixed

with water, which is brought to a boil until
cooked through and then simmered over
low heat until the dough has solidified; it is
served as balls.
Cassava fufu is made by first drying the

cassava and then grinding it. Once the
flour is obtained, the preparation is almost
the same as for corn fufu. Note also that
the two flours can be used together.
4. Chikwange (Kwanga)
Credits: hello_kinshasa
Next to fufu, we find chikwange, which is

also made from cassava, but whose
preparation is more complex.
Chikwange is usually not prepared at

home. Its preparation time is quite long; it
may take one to two weeks. You have to
soak the cassava in water for several days
before preparing it and letting it drain for
another two or three days before wrapping
it in banana leaves and boiling it for a good
hour.
Chikwange goes well with all kinds of

vegetables or fish but is also enjoyed
outdoors with barbecue and a good beer in
the big cities of the Congo.
5. Lituma
Credits: frida_blessing_food_tv
Another popular accompaniment is lituma.

It looks like fufu but consists of plantains
that are boiled and then peeled and
pounded. At this stage, spices can be
added to the paste for added flavor.
Lituma is highly prized by populations

originating from the equatorial zones of
the central basin.
6. Ndakala
Credits: chef_apple_k
Ndakala are small dried fish also

nicknamed 1000 poisons. They can be fried
in oil with a bit of chili and savored with
fufu or chikwange. Ndakala can also be
mixed with vegetables of all kinds, bathed
in tomato sauce.
7. Makemba (Plantains)
As its French name suggests, it is a kind of

banana, but one that cannot be eaten raw;
it needs to be either fried in oil, boiled in
water, or grilled. And as we saw above,
when boiled, plantain can be made into
lituma.
In Congo’s largest cities, fried bananas

have become a very popular item on fast
food menus, even overshadowing French
fries.
8. Fumbwa
Credits: leya_food
Fumbwa is a vegetable made from the

green leaves of the plant gnetum
africanum.
The leaves are rolled into a bundle and

then, using a knife, they are cut into thin
strips, which gives them the appearance of
filament. They are usually prepared with
spices and peanuts. It is a specialty of the
western provinces.
9. Matembele
Credits: tshitshis.casseroles
Matembele is a vegetable made from the

leaves of sweet potatoes. It is a creeping
plant that grows very quickly in almost any
plot in the Congo. It is quite easy to
prepare with a few spices and oil and goes
well with almost any local accompaniment.
Unlike pondu, matembele is found more

often on the plate of the Congolese,
especially because of its extremely low
cost.
10. Mayebo (Mushrooms)
Credits: m_w_foodyy
One of the delicacies of Congolese cuisine

is mayebo: mushrooms of different species,
fresh or dried, which can be prepared in
tomato sauce or palm oil as well as mixed
with vegetables, prepared in broth, or
even in a stew.
11. Mbinzo (Caterpillars)

"#$%!&'!()%*%+%* ×
,#-*!.%%/ ! !

Top 20 Most Popular Foods in Congo - Chef's Pencil

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Top 20 Most Popular Foods in Congo - Chef's Pencil

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Top 20 Most Popular Foods in Congo - Chef's Pencil

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

!

Posted on Jan 8th, 2022 by Junior Boweya

Categories: African Cuisines

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the

The national territory is mainly covered by

In the heart of the country, we find the

Africa's Big 7 2023

The forests and savannahs of the country

This cultural variety associated with the

Food habits are often linked to the region

It would not be possible to describe all the

Sign up to Mukuru via WhatsApp

It is a dish generally composed of boiled

Join us at Africa's Big 7

The fish can also be replaced with various

Pondu is one of the most popular dishes

The dish is made using prepared cassava

It can be enjoyed with rice as well as fufu

Next to pondu, fufu is one of—if not the—

There are two main types: corn fufu and

Corn fufu is made from corn flour mixed

Cassava fufu is made by first drying the

Next to fufu, we find chikwange, which is

Chikwange is usually not prepared at

Chikwange goes well with all kinds of

Another popular accompaniment is lituma.

Lituma is highly prized by populations

Ndakala are small dried fish also

As its French name suggests, it is a kind of

In Congo’s largest cities, fried bananas

Fumbwa is a vegetable made from the

The leaves are rolled into a bundle and

Matembele is a vegetable made from the

Unlike pondu, matembele is found more

10. Mayebo (Mushrooms)

One of the delicacies of Congolese cuisine

11. Mbinzo (Caterpillars)

You might also like