Cuisine in DR Congo

Signature dishes

Poulet à la Moambé (Moambé Chicken)

The national dish of chicken simmered in palm nut sauce

Region: Nationwide
Main ingredients: Chicken, Palm butter, Onions, Tomatoes, Spices

Fufu

Staple food made from pounded cassava or yam, eaten with stew

Region: Nationwide
Main ingredients: Cassava flour, Yam, Water

Pondu

Rich stew of cassava leaves cooked with peanuts and dried fish

Region: Nationwide
Main ingredients: Cassava leaves, Peanuts, Dried fish, Palm oil

Saka-Saka

Eastern home-style dish of finely chopped cassava leaves simmered for hours

Region: Eastern region
Main ingredients: Cassava leaves, Onions, Garlic, Red chili

Liboke de Poisson

Fish and spices wrapped in banana leaves and steamed

Region: Kinshasa area
Main ingredients: Fish, Lemon, Banana leaves, Spices

Mikate

Sweet fried doughnuts popular for breakfast and street snacks

Region: Nationwide
Main ingredients: Wheat flour, Yeast, Sugar, Oil

Makayabu

Preserved smoked salted fish cooked in tomato sauce

Region: Congo River basin
Main ingredients: Dried fish, Tomatoes, Onions, Oil

Dongo Dongo

Sweet side dish of fried ripe plantain

Region: Western region
Main ingredients: Plantain, Oil, Salt

Sambi

Slightly fermented grain beverage popular for cooling off

Region: Kasai region
Main ingredients: Millet, Water, Yeast

Chakalaka

Spicy stew of beans and vegetables

Region: Southern mining areas
Main ingredients: Kidney beans, Tomatoes, Onions, Chili peppers