Fufu with Kanda (Central African Meat Dumplings in Groundnut Stew)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Country of Origin
Central African Republic
Description
Kanda is the Central African Republic's distinctive contribution to the region's canon of groundnut stews: spiced minced meat formed into dense, compact balls and slow-simmered in a thick peanut sauce until the dumplings have absorbed the sauce from the outside in, becoming deeply flavored throughout. Served with pounded fufu — the silky, stretchy dough made from boiled and pounded cassava or plantain — it is a complete meal in two textures: the soft resistance of the fufu against the yielding richness of the kanda and its sauce.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Fufu is shaped into smooth balls or a single mound and served in a bowl with the kanda stew poured alongside or over it. Like most fufu dishes, it is eaten by hand: pinch off a small piece of fufu, roll it briefly in your palm, press a small indentation with your thumb, and use it to scoop up sauce and a piece of kanda.
Ingredients
For the Kanda Meatballs
500g ground beef or goat
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp plain flour (to bind)
For the Groundnut Sauce
4 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 ripe tomatoes, blended
500ml beef stock or water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
Salt to taste
For the Fufu
500g cassava, peeled and cut into chunks (or 2 ripe plantains)
Water, for boiling
Pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Directions
Make the Kanda: Combine the ground meat, grated onion, garlic, spices, salt, and flour in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands until cohesive. Wet your palms and roll the mixture into firm balls about the size of a golf ball. Set aside.
Make the Sauce Base: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the blended tomato and cook for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil separates.
Build the Groundnut Sauce: Stir in the peanut butter until it combines with the tomato base. Gradually add the beef stock, stirring to create a smooth, thick sauce. Add the whole Scotch bonnet. Season with salt.
Cook the Kanda: Carefully lower the meatballs into the simmering sauce. Do not stir for the first 5 minutes so they can set. Then gently stir and continue simmering over medium-low heat for 35 minutes, turning the kanda once halfway through.
Make the Fufu: While the stew simmers, boil the cassava chunks in salted water for 25 minutes until very tender. Drain and pound in a mortar (or blend briefly, then knead by hand) until smooth, elastic, and lump-free. Shape into balls.
Serve: Plate the fufu alongside the kanda stew. Remove the whole Scotch bonnet before serving if you prefer mild heat.
Optional
Palm Oil Version: Substitute the vegetable oil with 2 tbsp red palm oil for a more traditional and deeply flavored sauce with characteristic orange color.
Cooking Tips
The peanut butter tends to catch and scorch on the bottom of the pot if the heat is too high — once you add it, keep the pot at a low to medium-low simmer and stir frequently. Do not let the meatballs fall apart by stirring too early; let them firm up in the hot sauce for a full 5 minutes before touching them. Fresh cassava makes better fufu than frozen, but frozen works well if fresh is unavailable.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)
Calories: ~620 kcal
Total Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 680mg
Total Carbohydrates: 58g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 32g
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