Bakalolo (spoken not spelt)

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This is a recipe passed down through my family and is a favorite. It originates from a tropical environment so finding cassava root and banana leaf might be difficult to find in some places. Experiment! see if a different eatable leaf can be used or even wax paper. Ive never seen an identical recipe to this so I hope to learn along with you.

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  • 12
  • Average
  • 5 mins
  • 20 mins
  • 20 mins
  • Average budget

Ingredients

  • - 2-3 medium cassava roots (shredded)
  • - 1 cup sugar depending on sweetness desired
  • - 1/2 cup sweet coconut
  • - Large Banana leaves (enough to wrap all filling)
  • - Raisins, nuts (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Mix together the shredded cassava, sugar, sweet coconut and raisins if you would like them. I suggest trying half with raisins and without until you decide which is your favorite.

Step 2

Lay out the banana leaves on a flat surface and cut off any bad parts. Cut into a square that is big enough to wrap around the filling twice. Its tradition to use a banana leaf but the main use is for protection of the filling and the right moisture environment once folded.

Step 3

You should end up with a square that's 5 by 3 or the size of your preference. Wrapping style is the same as a tortilla except as a square. Have it one fold from the shorter edge, once folded over the filling fold the longer sides on top and keep folding the rest of the way until your out off leaf.

Step 4

Once all your filling is wrapped they're ready to be steamed. You can use a wire rack or a wood steam box, even steaming in an oven might work. Lay them so the steam can circulate the whole thing and cook it through.

Step 5

The goal of steaming is to get the banana leaf to be a damp, dark olive covering to a translucent pale yellow filling that is sticky and isn't as white as before. Sugar should be melted when you check, and the filling not at all hard and dry. Let cool until lukewarm then unwrap and enjoy.

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I don't know if banana leaf is eatable but in this instance don't eat it.
Pistachios would be a complimentary nut though I've never tried, it couldn't hurt. When checking the filling should always be a paler color, if its ever a deep brown its most likely over cooked. Though a bit dry it shouldn't effect the taste. Once you figure the recipe out get creative in how you wrap it; triangle, bonbon, thin oval?

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