Sanga

Centre and South (Beti, Fang)

Sanga

Sanga is a sweet-savory vegetable dish of the Beti and Fang: pounded cassava leaves (or black nightshade leaves, 'zom') cooked with fresh sweet corn in pressed palm-nut cream.

The palm nuts are boiled, crushed and pressed to extract the cream; the leaves boil at least twenty minutes, then fresh corn goes in late so it keeps its sweetness. The result sits between a stew and a porridge.

Key ingredients

  • Pounded cassava leaves (or black nightshade leaves, 'zom')
  • Fresh sweet corn
  • Palm nut cream (pressed palm fruit pulp)
  • 'Homi' (garlic-family spice), salt
  • Sugar optional

Where to try it

  • Home-style restaurants and market eateries in Yaounde.
  • Centre and South region kitchens; an everyday dish rather than a restaurant centerpiece.