Kunga cake facts for kids

Huge swarms of Chaoborus edulis, resembling distant plumes of smoke over Lake Malawi's water

Kunga cake or kungu is a unique dish found in the African Great Lakes region. It is especially popular in countries around Lake Malawi, such as Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. This unusual food is made from millions of tiny insects, usually midges or flies, that are densely pressed together. It's a surprising but important source of food for many local people.

What is Kunga Cake?

Kunga cake is a traditional food made from insects. Imagine millions of tiny flies, like the ones you might see near water, all gathered and pressed together. That's basically what kunga cake is! These insects are often midges, which are small, mosquito-like flies.

Why Do People Eat Insects?

Eating insects is called entomophagy. For many people around the world, insects are a great source of protein and other nutrients. When huge swarms of midges appear, they offer a lot of food. An American entomologist (a scientist who studies insects) named May Berenbaum has talked about how big swarms of midges can be a problem for local communities. However, she also noted that people living near Lake Malawi turn these swarms into kunga cakes. She described it as a "rich source of protein" that is eaten "with great enthusiasm."

How is Kunga Cake Made?

Catching the flies for kunga cake is quite clever. People often use a frying pan coated with cooking oil. They then wave the pan through a large swarm of flies. The flies stick to the oil, making them easy to collect. Once collected, the millions of flies are pressed together to form a dense cake.

What Does Kunga Cake Taste Like?

People have different opinions on the taste of kunga cake! Stefan Gates, who wrote a book about eating insects, suggested that you could "make burgers with it." He also said you could dry it out and grate it into stews for an "umami richness." Umami is a savory, rich flavor.

The famous adventurer Bear Grylls called kunga cake "a great survival food." He explained how huge amounts of flies are caught and made into these cakes. The explorer David Livingstone, back in 1865, said that kunga cake "tasted not unlike caviare." Caviar is a fancy food made from fish eggs. However, Professor Arnold van Huis, an expert in tropical entomology, said he did not like it at all! So, it seems the taste can be quite unique.

See also

In Spanish: Kunga para niños