Kawal – Sudanese food using fermented leaves

Kawal is food made of fermented leaves used as a meat substitute indigenous to western Sudan, in particular the Kordofan and Darfur provinces, and eastern Chad.

In urban areas, it is used as a condiment, similar to black pepper.[3] It is also used by low-income families as a primary protein source, substituting or extending meat or fish in stews and sauces.[4] It is created from the fermented leaves of Cassia obtusifolia, a toxic wild legume also known as the kawal plant.

It has a pungent odor which persists on the hands; it is said that "when you eat [kawal] with your right hand, you smell it on your left." For this reason, the elite of Sudan consider it a low-status food. In spite of this, kawal has spread across Sudan, possibly due to the plant's ability to grow vigorously in a variety of environments.[3]

Similar fermented meat substitutes found in this region include furundu, which is made from the seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa, and sigda, which is made with sesame seed cakes