Pondu
Non-vegetarian
Finely pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with onion, aubergine, pepper and palm oil until soft and deeply savoury. A staple green stew of the two Congos.
Pondu is a Congolese stew from DR Congo, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes and made with cassava leaves and red palm oil. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 196
Method
Step 1
Put the cassava leaves (opens in a new tab) in a large pot with the water, onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), pepper, aubergine (opens in a new tab) and leek (opens in a new tab). Bring to the boil.
- 10 min
- high heat
- Stockpot / large pot (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Cassava leaves must always be cooked thoroughly; raw leaves contain natural cyanide-forming compounds that long cooking removes.
Step 2
Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer, stirring now and then and adding water if it gets dry, until the leaves are dark and soft.
- 90 min
- low heat
Step 3
Stir in the palm oil (opens in a new tab), salt, chilli and smoked fish (opens in a new tab) and cook uncovered until most of the liquid has gone and the oil glistens on top.
- 20 min
- low heat
About this dish
- Origin
- DR Congo · Commonly attributedEaten across Central Africa; called saka-saka in the Republic of the Congo.Also popular in Republic of the Congo, Angola, Central African RepublicMore food from DR Congo
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Side dishes
- Cooking method
- Simmered, Stewed
- Taste
- earthy, savoury, herby
- Diet
- Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-fibreWithout the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, Whole-food focused, Paleo-styleWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Pescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-fibre · Low-fat · Carb-conscious - Good for
- One-pot · Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
- Cook more with
- Cassava leaves · Red palm oil · Onion · Garlic · Green bell pepper · Eggplant
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom smoked fish
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
196 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 429 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 9%
- Carbohydrate 37%
- Fat 55%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 196 kcal | 46 kcal |
| Protein | 4.6 g | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 19.5 g | 4.5 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 9.5 g | 2.2 g |
| Sugars | — | — |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 10 g | 2.3 g |
| Fat | 13 g | 3 g |
| Saturated fat | 6.2 g | 1.4 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 597 mg | 139 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 1.5 g | 0.3 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 919 mg
- Calcium
- 138 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 112 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 256 µg
- Vitamin C
- 34 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 23 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: leek, fresh red chilli, smoked fish.
- Cassava leaves: Raw sweet potato leaves (FDC 169303) used as a stand-in; cassava leaves are a similar dark leafy green but are higher in protein. Always cook cassava leaves thoroughly.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Pondu tastes even better the next day.
Common mistakes
- Undercooking — cassava leaves need long simmering to become tender and safe.
Serve with
- Serve with fufu, chikwangue, rice or boiled plantains, alongside moambe chicken or grilled fish.
Storage
- Keeps 4 days refrigerated; freezes well.
Reheating
- Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Variations
- Saka-saka with peanuts (Republic of the Congo): Stir in a few spoons of peanut butter at the end (common in the Republic of the Congo).
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Cassava leaves, frozen pounded, thawed800 g
- Eggplant, diced1 piece · 450 g
- Fresh red chilli, whole or chopped (optional)1 piece · 6 g
- Smoked fish, flaked, bones removed (optional)200 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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