Phane (Mopane Worms)

What we know so far

Phane is the Setswana name for the mopane worm, the fat caterpillar of the emperor moth that feeds on mopane trees across northern Botswana and is harvested twice a year, gutted and dried in the sun. Dried, it keeps for months and is sold by the cup in every market. Cooked, it is soaked, simmered until tender and then fried with onion and tomato, or fried dry until crisp as a snack. It is one of the region's oldest proteins, eaten from Botswana to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Limpopo under different names.

The draft was written from 3 published sources and holds 11 ingredients and 7 steps. It has never been cooked by anybody at AFN, which is why it is waiting.

What claiming it means

1. Cook it the way you actually make it. Change anything in our draft that is wrong, and most of it probably is.
2. Photograph your own, so the page carries a real picture instead of somebody else's.
3. Send it in. An editor reads it, and it publishes with your name on it and a link to your profile.

See every dish waiting