Ming'oko

traditional food in Mtwara and Lindi, Tanzania

"Ming'oko" are the roots which are used as food in Southern areas of Tanzania especially Mtwara and sometimes Lindi. They are eaten after being cooked. Ming'oko are found from climbing trees as roots in the forests which are not disturbed by human activities including agriculture. Ming'oko are wild edible yams and are in Dioscorea hirtiflora species. According to some villagers in Mtwara rural areas, who are familiar with them, there are different wild tubers similar to Ming'oko but they are not edible according to those areas and people should not be confused while harvesting otherwise they could eat wild yam which are not real Ming'oko. The one of common wild yams which are not edible but they are very identical to Ming'oko are traditionally called Malondolo or lilondolo when mentioned in singular forms, note that, these traditional terms are originally based on Makonde language but they are now very common used even in Kiswahili when discussing issues about Ming'oko in Mtwara areas or Southern east of Tanzania in general.Malondolo are thicker than Ming'oko