Kondowole

Kondowole is a sticky porridge made from cassava flour and water. Lazarus Nkolombidzo’s cooking account in Malawi Heritage Magazine associates it especially with the northern region, including Nkhata Bay. He describes stirring flour into hot water to form a thick paste, then continuing to mix until the flour is fully incorporated. Fish such as utaka or chambo can accompany it, as can other relishes.^[1]

The name also refers to the flour itself. The National Cassava Processors Association describes kondowole as fermented cassava flour used for cooking nsima in place of maize flour. Its account distinguishes this from unfermented high-quality cassava flour and from makaka, dried cassava. The magazine describes pounding and sieving processed, dried cassava or taking it to a mill to obtain flour for the porridge.^[2][1]