Recipe of the Week: Pommes pilees (pounded potatoes)

A staple food that lasts a long time (good for the village), is not too messy (good for food-on-the-go), and fits the Cameroonian cuisine criterion for starch content (will fill 'er up, no problem), pommes pilees are ubiquitous here. Make them at home, buy them on the street for lunch...but keep in mind that they are much heavier than our familiar mashed potatoes, and would rather be a main meal than a side dish. This is one of the first things I ate, after arriving in Dschang. Good, again, for a family of 10 or more.

1. cook a few handfuls of black beans in just a little bit of water, so that they are thoroughly cooked but not too soft - remove when still firm
2. peel and clean enough potatoes for everyone, then put then in a large pot with no water
3. top the potato pile with the beans and crushed pimon, and cook covered over fire or stove until potatoes are soft
4. remove pot from stove, add palm oil til color changes, and pound the entire mixture until well-mixed...here, this is done with a wooden bowl and pestle

The final product should be drier than mashed potatoes; it is fairly solid and not oily, so that it can be eaten by the handful without mess or gloop.