Chikanda

This dish will delight you with its intriguing flavor. Chikanda is a popular snack in Zambia that is made in a unique way. Because of the use of a tuber from Chikanda orchids, the dish has a distinct shape. Some of the most common orchid species used to make Chikanda are those in the genera Habenaria, Disa, and Satyrium. After stuffing all of the ingredients into the tube, the chef will boil it until the dough is cake-like.

Chikanda is similar to a Polony (or Bologna), a Bologna specialty sausage (Italy). This is why many people refer to this food as a "African polony." The dish is thought to be from the Bemba people of northeast Zambia.

The dish is essential for special occasions such as weddings in Bemba cuisine. Zambians usually eat it as a snack or dessert. They also combine Chikanda and Nshima for a delicious flavor. The process of creating Chikanda is extremely complex, but the end result is incredible.