For the Democratic Republic of Congo I really wanted to make something that is different from anything that we are used to in the US. Looking at the ingredients that are commonly used there I found that yucca or cassava is a little uncommon here and would be interesting to try out. That’s why I decided to make some yucca and plantain balls. It was a very interesting experience both from the cooking side and the eating side.

Here are a few facts about the Democratic Republic of Congo:

• Capital: Kinshasa
• Population: about 81.7 million
• Area: 2 345 409 km km²
• Currency: Congolese Franc

I chose to make not one or two but three recipes for the Democratic Republic of Congo. As a main course I cooked fish liboke, a fish cooked in a banana leaf (unfortunately I couldn’t find a banana leaf but you can replace it with tinfoil). As a side I made plantain and yucca balls called foufou or foutou which is originated from Ivory coast but is eaten in Congo too. I prepared the foufou with peanut sauce. Lastly, I made red pepper paste because I needed some to go on the fish. The hot sauce is inspired from pili pili (a traditional African hot sauce) but a little different with some spices in it.  Here are the three recipes!

Pepper paste

Ingredients:

• 5 red peppers
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 6cl vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

Open the red peppers and remove the seeds. Peel garlic. Measure all the seeds and the oil.

Add all the ingredients in a food processor and chop until you get a smooth red paste

Plantain and yucca balls with peanut sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 plantains
• 1 large yucca root
• 4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 red pepper
• oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel the plantains and cut them in 1-2 inch sections. Peel the yucca and cut it in 1-2 inch cubes.

In a large pot, bring some water to a boil and boil the plantain and yucca for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes drain and let cool.

Once the boiled plantain and yucca are cool. Crush them together in a large pistil and mortar until they become a smooth and sticky paste. You can work in batches ensuring you use the same amount of plantain and yucca in each batch.

With the paste form about 2 inch wide balls.

Now we are ready to make the peanut sauce. Chop the onion, garlic clove and the red pepper. Measure the tomatoes and peanut butter.

Heat a saucepan with some oil. Add the onions and the tomatoes and cook until onions are translucent.

Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and slowly boil for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes add the peanut butter and let simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes add the red pepper, the bouillon cube (crush with your fingers) and salt and pepper to taste.

Fish liboke

Ingredients:

• Banana leafs (if you can’t find them replace with tinfoil)
• 1.5 pounds catfish
• 1 onion
• 1/2 can of diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• Red pepper paste (recipe above)

Directions:

As usual lets prepare the ingredients! Cut the filets in half lengthwise and cut in 1 inch pieces. Chop the onion.

On a banana leaf (or tinfoil) put 1/3 of the fish, 1/3 of the onion, 1/3 of the tomato dices, some pepper paste and salt and pepper to taste. Close the tinfoil or banana leaf to form a little pouch. Repeat 2 times to make 3 pouches with all the ingredients.

Put on a cooking tray and make sure the pouches can’t leak by putting the fold on top.

Put in the oven at 325F for 30 minutes.

Serve with some pepper paste, the plantain and yucca balls and the peanut sauce.

Bon Appetit!