Djagacida

Djagacida is a Cape Verdean stew of cornmeal, beans and squash, cooked down until thick. It comes from the Cape Verde islands, an archipelago off the west coast of Africa, where maize and cornmeal have long been staple foods. It is one of the ways the islands turn cornmeal into a filling, everyday dish.

What it really is

Cornmeal is stirred into a pot with kidney beans, cubed pumpkin, chopped onion and garlic. The mixture is simmered gently while the vegetables soften and the beans cook through, and it is cooked down until the stew is thick enough to hold a spoon upright. The cornmeal gives the dish body, so the result is dense and hearty rather than brothy.

Because it is cooked down, djagacida is closer to a thick porridge than to a soup, and the beans and pumpkin stay easy to see in the bowl.

How it's served

• Hot, portioned thick in a bowl or deep plate.
• Eaten with a spoon as a main course.
• Plain in its classic form, with any accompaniments listed separately on the menu.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the base in full: cornmeal, kidney beans and pumpkin, so guests know what the stew is made from.
• Describe it as a bean and pumpkin stew if the kitchen cooks it without meat. If the kitchen adds sausage, meat or fish, name that protein, since the dish changes.
• The classic recipe contains none of the common allergens. Declare any stock, fat, dairy, meat or fish the kitchen adds.
• Say it is cooked until thick and served hot, so guests do not expect a thin soup.