Mintoumba
The yellow cassava bread of the Bassa
Aussi écrit : mintumba, gâteau de manioc
What is it?
A paste of fresh fermented cassava, mashed and mixed with red palm oil, salt and a few seasonings, then wrapped in Marantaceae leaves and steamed. The palm oil gives it its golden-yellow colour.
Where does it come from?
It is eaten across the whole country.
Associated people(s) : Bassa, Banen
The Bassa live across the Littoral and Centre regions: the exact region is not settled. Wikipedia attributes it to the Bassa, and also mentions the Banen on its page about Cameroonian cuisine.
Main ingredients
- Fresh fermented cassava
- Red palm oil
- Salt
- Marantaceae leaves, for wrapping
What to eat it with
Served with various sauces, or eaten on its own, with peanuts.
Origin and tradition
In Bassa villages it serves as bread, at breakfast as well as at the evening meal. Easy to keep, it is a food reserve for boarding-school pupils. It is sold all along the roads and the railway that cross Bassa country, and has found its place in Douala and Yaoundé.