Instructions: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the semolina slowly to the water, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Use a strong wooden spoon, stir constantly for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. You may need two people - one to hold the pot and one to stir. If the fufu seems thinner than mashed potatoes, add more semolina. Stir and cook another 10 minutes.

Shape the fufu into balls, if desired. Serve immediately with meat stew or any dish with a sauce or gravy. Tear off a small handful of fufu with your fingers and use it to scoop up your meat and sauce.

PONDU

(Congolese Cassava Leaf Stew)

Makes 4 servings

4 (8-ounce)

bags chopped cassava leaves (see note)

1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 large red or white onions, diced
2 or 3 eggplants (either small Thai green eggplant or 1 larger purple eggplant),
peeled and chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup palm oil (vegetable oil is also fine)

1 large clove garlic, minced
Chopped green onions (optional)

1 green bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce)

can pilchard or any kind of canned fish (optional)

Fresh tomatoes (optional)

Combine chopped cassava leaves with 5 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. After the first 30 minutes, reduce the heat.

Add the celery, onions, eggplants, palm oil, garlic, green onions (if using), bell pepper and salt. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Stir every 15 minutes. When the water is mostly gone and the pondu is cooked to a pulp, put in the canned fish, if using. Add 3 more cups of water and cook for 30 more minutes.

Serve with fufu (see accompanying recipe), rice or couscous.

Note: You can find frozen cassava leaves at some Asian food stores. You can substitute frozen collard greens, kale, cabbage, turnip greens or spinach, or a mixture of these.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.