varieties differing in the bitterness of the tubers. Cultivated mainly at Lake-shore 

 levels. The tubers and leaves are edible, the dried stems are an important fuel in 

 entirely deforested areas. 



THE TUBERS. (Names as above.) 



The bulk of the cassava grown in this country is converted into flour from 

 which porridge, nsima, is made. 



Preparation of Flour. 



(a) Kota Kola and Chinteche Lake-shore areas. 



The tubers, about 100-150 lb., enough for a week's supply for the family, are 

 dug and put into a waterhole often on the foreshore or in a stream to soak for two 

 or three days until they are sufficiently soft to be easily peeled. The same waterhole 

 is often used repeatedly so that the water becomes full of starch grains and foul 

 smelling. The tubers are usually taken out early in the morning and made into a 

 heap at the waterside. The very thin outer, and thicker white inner skins are 

 peeled off with a knife. The tubers are tested at this stage and if sweet kinds are 

 needed to roast as cipuya, they are selected now. The peeled tubers are washed 

 and as much water as possible squeezed out of them. They are then carried back 

 to the village where they are spread on stands to dry. They are left for two to four 

 days. At this stage they are in the form of brittle whole tubers called kondooli. 

 If flour is needed quickly the tubers are torn into shreds while still wet and the 

 fibrous core thrown away. These shreds dry quickly and are pounded immediately 

 into flour. The dry tubers are very brittle and easily pounded to flour in the usual 

 native mortar. It is necessary to sift off the fragments of fibrous central core, 

 nsece. The pounding is very light work compared with that of pounding maize. 

 Fresh flour is prepared each day otherwise it tends to absorb water and become 

 lumpy. In the rains there is sometimes no opportunity to dry the tubers and for 

 several days no flour can be prepared or eaten. 



(b) Southern Province. {Zomba, Mlanje, Fort Johnston.) 



Another method of preparing the flour is to make makaka as opposed to kondooli. 

 To do this, both thin and thick layers are peeled off and the tubers sun-dried without 

 preliminary soaking. The dried tubers which are often very discoloured are then 

 pounded to flour. 



(c) Karonga District. {aKonde method.) 



The tubers are peeled, soaked in cold water for two or three days in large pots 

 kept especially for the purpose. They are then taken out and pounded after the 

 removal of the central core. When soft, the pulp is formed into neat little cones 

 about 2 ins. high and dried in the sun. In this form it is known as kadonosya, it is 

 very easily pounded to flour when needed. Kondooli is also made by the aKonde. 



Cooking of Porridge, nsima (N). 



Water is put on the flre in an earthenware or metal pot and a handful of flour 

 shaken on top to show when the water is thoroughly boiling. Then flour is added 

 rapidly in handfuls until about two -thirds of the total has been used. The mixture is 

 well stirred. After about one minute, the pot is removed from the fire, the very 

 thick glutinous mass stirred and turned over with a stick and the rest of the flour 

 added. The pot is propped between the woman's feet and very vigorous stirring 

 continued for about five minutes, by which time the nsima is ready to serve. The 

 food baskets are sprinkled with water and the porridge ladled into them. 



The porridge is now a solid mass of almost rubberlike consistency, of a dirty 

 brown colour and often pronounced disagreeable smell. Sometimes the entire 

 cooking of the porridge is carried out at the fireside. These methods are used 

 because cassava flour is very liable to burn when left on the fire for a longer period. 

 Africans who are used to cassava porridge like it well enough but those accustomed 

 to maize usually grumble for sometime until they themselves become used to eating 



