Rwanda – Isombe

by Yu Ten

Isombe is a vegetable of Cassava leaves, that are boiled fresh with water, then mixed with other ingredients to bring the best recipe.

This cuisine is prepared in Rwanda mostly in rural areas, due to the availability of Cassava leaves being low. Also, it is a little time consuming, hence town people like fast food, this results in low number of people who prepare it. In Kigali some hotels and restaurants do prepare this meal, so take a visit and enjoy this meal while in Rwanda.

This is how we prepare the cuisine, welcome.

Preparation and Cooking

• The first step is to collect those Cassava leaves, grind and boil them;

• After you collect them, you first need to wash them well.
• Grind them in modern machines like home blenders or using traditional tools as seen in picture.
• After grinding, put in clean vessel.
• Take cooking pan, add salt and start boiling without any addition of water. usually boiling takes 2-3 hours

• Prepare the followings for the roasting process;

• 2 Carrots
• 2 Onions
• Peanut butter
• 2 Dry peppers

• 2 Bilinganya

• Let us start to cook it;

• Wash onions and carrots, chop into the pan containing boiled Cassava leaves.
• Wash Bilinganya and cut into box like shapes pieces, direct into the pan.
• Add pepper seeds on top.
• Add palm oil for better taste, mix all the ingredients well,
• Start to boil for 10 minutes.
• Add peanut butter, check salt for taste, add some if possible.
• Stir peanut butter until well mixed, boil for 3 minutes more.

Once all the procedures are well followed, you must come back to drop a comment right down here, because I believe your taste buds will carry you to do so. In Rwanda, we normally take Isombe with rice or Ugali, enjoy.