Kwacoco

Kwacoco is a Cameroonian steamed cake of grated cocoyam, red palm oil and seasonings, wrapped in banana leaves. It is a dense, pudding-like dish, usually eaten as a snack or alongside a stew or fish. The cocoyam is a starchy root from the same plant family as taro, and it gives the cake its body. Red palm oil colours the mixture orange and adds a rich, earthy flavour, while the leaves keep the cake moist as it steams.

What it really is

Grated cocoyam is mixed with red palm oil, chopped onion, chilli and salt. The mixture is spooned onto banana leaves, folded into parcels and steamed until it sets into a firm, moist cake. Because the root is grated rather than cut, it breaks down into a smooth, dense texture that holds its shape when sliced.

The classic recipe contains no wheat, dairy, eggs or animal fat, so it is vegan. The leaf is a wrapper and a source of flavour, and it is peeled away before the cake is eaten.

How it's served

• Unwrapped from the leaf and sliced into portions, while still warm or cooled.
• On its own as a snack, or beside a stew, fish or other main dish.
• Eaten by hand or with a fork, in slices taken from the leaf.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient as cocoyam, and say it is grated and steamed in banana leaf.
• No allergens are standard in the classic recipe. Check any stock or seasoning cube for celery, mustard, fish or milk.
• Mark it vegan only if everything served with it is plant-based, since fish or meat stew is often served alongside.
• State the heat level, because chilli strength varies between kitchens and guests notice it.
• Sell by portion or weight, and list any stew or fish as a separate item with its own allergens.