Dumboy

Dumboy is the national dish of Liberia. In order to prepare it, fresh cassava is peeled and boiled, while the fibers from the center are removed. The cooked roots are placed in a big mortar and beaten with a heavy pestle, then shaped into balls. The pounding requires expertise and skill, so if dumboy is prepared by a novice, it will probably be quite lumpy and inedible. Before serving, meat stock or hot pepper soup is poured over the dumboy, along with some vegetables, because the sticky dough will adhere to anything dry if it's not consumed immediately after it's been prepared. Dumboy is especially prized by the Mano, Gio, and Bassa people of Liberia.