Zambia – Chikanda

by Yu Ten

Chikanda is among the best loved cuisine in Zambia, to be given a nick name “African Polony” due to the likeness of meat-like consistency. If you pass around streets in Zambia, this cuisine will have to be a friend of your eyes, since you will see in tables fast food points ready for take off.

Chikanda is prepared from these major ingredients called chikanda orchids. They are ground tuber roots of orchid type found in many places of Zambia.

Bemba tribe in north-east Zambia is known to be the first ones to prepare Chikanda, but as time counts it finally taken as a country traditional dish as to now it is prepared country wise.

Welcome to this simple yet taste and loved cuisine of Chikanda.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of chikanda orchids
• 1/2 kg peanut texture
• 5 teaspoons of baking powder
• 3 teaspoons of pepper powder
• salt or sugar
• oil

Cooking methods

• Clean well with water the orchids, dry and grind well.
• Take a cooking pan, add in orchids flour-like.
• Add in baking powder and pepper, mix well.
• Add favored sugar or salt.

• Put into heat and mix them well with peanut.
• Mix for about 5 minutes until all is well mixed.
• Leave it like baking for 15 minutes with low heat.
• After the time check to see if it is well cooked, using a fork or toothpick.
• Remove from heat and serve it warm.

Chikanda taste well with vegetable, juice or coffee. You may add bread over it, to make it more taste, see below;