Funge

What it really is

Funge is an Angolan firm starch made by stirring cassava or maize flour into hot water.

Flour is added gradually to hot water and stirred until it thickens into a smooth, cohesive dough. The result is firm enough to shape or scoop into portions and has a mild flavour that works as a carrier for stews and sauces. Depending on the region and meal, the flour may be cassava or maize; these are not interchangeable for a diner avoiding one ingredient. The name is also written funje. Funge is the plain staple, not the sauced main dish.

Funge is generally eaten together with a moist accompaniment. A small piece can be pinched or pulled away and used to collect sauce, beans, greens, fish or meat. It is therefore useful to describe both the flour base and the dish served with it. The side should not be called cassava-based unless that is the flour used in the actual batch. Additions such as salt or fat can also vary. Funge is distinct from the stew beside it, and the accompaniments should be listed separately in a menu or meal description.

How it's served

Serve warm, shaped into a mound or portioned beside a sauced dish. Its texture should be smooth and dense rather than crumbly. Offer the stew or sauce in a way that lets diners combine it with the starch.

How to write it on the menu

Identify whether the batch uses cassava or maize flour. Describe funge as the staple accompaniment and name the separate stew. Confirm any additions and flour handling before making dietary claims.