Baton de Manioc and Chikwangue

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[edit] Description

[edit] Ingredients

• several pounds of cassava tubers
• leaves of Megaphrynium macrostachyum, or banana leaves

[edit] Directions

1. Soak the cassava tubers in a tub, pond, or stream for three days or longer.
2. Peel the tubers, and wash them in large tub, changing water several times.
3. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the tubers into a thick, smooth paste.
4. Put the paste into the leaves, fold them into packets, and tie them closed. (Make the packets uniform in size. Two sizes are common in Central Africa: either 1 to 2 inches in diameter by 12 inches in length; or 4 inches in diameter by 12 inches in length.)
5. Place sticks or a wire basket in the bottom of a large pot. Stack the packets on the sticks, add enough water to steam-cook them (the water level should be below the packets). Cover tightly and boil for four to eight hours. The finished baton de manioc should be very thick and solid -- thicker than mashed potatoes, nearly the consistency of modeling clay.
6. Baton de manioc is served warm or at room-temperature, with soup, stew, or any sauce dish. The cooked baton de manioc will keep for several days, if kept in the leaf-wrapper in a cool, dry place.

Note: the leaves should not be eaten