Chikanda (Zambian Orchid Sausage)
Chikanda is a Zambian snack made from ground wild orchid tubers, often called African sausage or African polony. Here the tubers are boiled, then folded into a paste of toasted peanuts and cooked rice, seasoned with onion, garlic, cayenne and cumin. The mixture is rolled by hand and left to firm up, with no casing or cooking beyond the first boil. The result is a dense, nutty, savory slice worth trying.
Instructions
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Stir in the dried ground chikanda roots and boil for about 30 minutes, until softened.
While the roots boil, toast the groundnuts in a dry pan over medium heat. They are ready when slightly browned and fragrant.
Let the boiled chikanda and the toasted groundnuts cool to room temperature.
Grind the groundnuts to a fine powder in a blender or food processor. Add ½ cup of water and blend to a smooth paste.
Blend the cooked rice in the same machine until it forms a smooth paste.
In a large bowl, combine the chikanda, groundnut paste and rice paste with your hands or a wooden spoon until evenly mixed.
Add the chopped onion, garlic and the hot pepper if you are using it. Season with cayenne, cumin and salt, tasting and adjusting as you like.
Take a handful of the mixture at a time and roll it into a sausage shape, repeating until all the mixture is used.
Set the sausages on a clean plate or surface and leave them for 3 to 4 hours, until dry and firm enough to serve.
Make it personal.
Custom engraved cutting boards, utensils, and kitchen accessories. Great gifts for anyone who cooks.
Shop Custom Chef →Affiliate link · PicksByRecipe may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
