~592 cal · 48g protein · 14g carbs · 37g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Meatballs in a thick reddish pumpkin-seed sauce
🇨🇫 Bangui
Kanda ti nyma is a festive dish of the Central African Republic, where seasoned meatballs are cooked in a rich tomato sauce bound with ground squash seeds (kanda). The pumpkin-seed paste gives the sauce a savory, nutty body distinct from the peanut sauces of the wider region, served over rice or cassava.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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1.5 lb ground beef
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1 egg, to bind the meatballs
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1 cup ground pumpkin/squash seeds (kanda)
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4 tomatoes
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1 onion
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3 cloves garlic
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1 chili
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3 tbsp oil
Instructions
1
Mix the beef (or plant mince) with grated onion, salt, and the egg (or cassava flour) and roll into small meatballs.
2
Brown the meatballs in the oil, then set aside.
3
Cook the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chili down into a thick sauce.
4
Stir in the ground pumpkin seeds with a little water to make a nutty, thickened sauce.
5
Return the meatballs and simmer 20 minutes; serve over rice or cassava.
Bangui tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Bangui. A riverside capital of cassava and pumpkin-seed sauces.
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Central African Republic. Rainforest heart of cassava, greens, and pumpkin-seed sauces.
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Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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