About the dish
Mopane worms are the caterpillars of a large emperor moth that feed on mopane trees in the dry savannas of Zimbabwe, Botswana, northern South Africa and neighbouring countries. In the harvest season they are picked by hand, squeezed to empty their guts, boiled in salted water and dried in the sun so they keep for months. Dried, they are crunched as a snack, but more often they are soaked and stewed with onion, tomatoes and chilli and served with sadza, pap or bogobe. They are very rich in protein, and selling them is an important source of income for many rural families.
Main ingredients
- dried mopane worms
- onion
- tomatoes
- chilli
- oil
Botswana: Called phane in Setswana.
South Africa: In Limpopo, called mashonzha in Tshivenda.
Zimbabwe: Called madora in Shona.
More: Wikipedia (en)
