Miombo Woodland · Rainy-Season Protein
Chenilles (Fried Caterpillars)
Photo: Serein / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 1.0
Dried caterpillars are more than half protein by weight and much richer in iron than beef, which is why they're sold as a genuine staple rather than a novelty snack.
Caterpillars gathered from Katanga's miombo woodlands during the rainy season are boiled, sun-dried and pan-fried with onion, garlic and chili; the dried version is reconstituted and sold year-round in market stalls, either as a snack or stirred into a sauce over bukari.
Why it's made this way: The miombo woodlands produce a reliable annual glut of edible caterpillars in the rainy season, and drying them turned a short seasonal windfall into a shelf-stable protein that keeps markets supplied through the rest of the year.
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