| Chikanda | |
| Alternate Name: | Kinaka, Chinaka, Kikanda, African Polony, Zambian Polony, Zambian Sausage |
| Country: |  Zambia |
| Region: | Southern Africa, East Africa |
| Type: | Snack, Dessert, Side dish |
| Main Ingredient: | Orchid tubers, Groundnut meal, Baking soda or ash water, Spices |
Chikanda is a Zambian dish made from the boiled root tubers of terrestrial orchids also called chikanda.[1] [2] The dish is often called "African polony" because it has a texture that resembles bologna.[2] [3] Chikanda can be eaten as a snack, dessert, or an accompaniment to nshima, a maize flour porridge.[2]
Chikanda has been eaten for hundreds of years by people in parts of Zambia, northern Malawi, and southwestern Tanzania.[4] The dish is traditionally associated with the Bemba tribe in northeast Zambia, although it is eaten throughout Zambia today.[2] For the Bemba, it is an integral part of the culture and is served at special occasions such as weddings.[3] Originally a food in the setting of rural scarcity, it has now shifted to an urban trend.[3] [4] Now, chikanda can be found being sold by street vendors, supermarkets, and large restaurants as the urban population has an increased demand for this rural tradition.[3]
In Malawi, it is thought that eating the dish will protect against sickness.[5]
In southwestern Tanzania, a similar dish called kinaka in Kiswahili are eaten by the Nyamwanga, Nyika, Nyiha, Fipa, Lungu, and Ndali.[4]
There are many different species of orchids used, but primarily from the Disa, Habenaria, and Satyrium genera.[1] [4] Researchers determined that 16 orchid species in 6 genera are in the chikanda trade.[6] The orchid roots resemble the shape of an Irish potato but is smaller in size.[7] The ash water or baking soda with their high pH likely provides supplemental minerals and leads to the soapy taste and firm texture of chikanda.[8]
The tubers are dried and pounded.[2] Then, a mixture of the dried brown orchid meal and groundnut meal are boiled to form a slurry.[7] Dried chili peppers can also be added.[2] The slurry is thickened by soda, salted, and flavored with spices.[7] As it simmers, the slurry thickens into a cake and rises like dough.[7] It is usually served sliced.[2]
The orchid roots grow wild throughout Zambia.[7] However, due to the high demand, this had led to the present scarcity of the orchids in the country.[1] [3] Now, they are illegally imported from Tanzania, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading to the risk of overharvesting abroad.[1] [3] Traditional sustainability practices included only harvested tubers that have spread their seed and replanting stalks.[3] However, the locals have abandoned these practices due to increased demand.[3] The orchids are difficult to cultivate in captivity.[3] Current efforts for conservation focus on cultivating the threatened orchids.[3]