Chez Fadi
Cameroonian and West African cuisine reinterpreted
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Cameroonian recipes

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Side dishes

Corn Pap /Koukourou /Bouillie de Mais | Sweetened corn porridge

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Bouillie de Maïs, also known as Corn Pap or Koukourou, is a creamy corn porridge traditionally made from specially produced cornmeal. The production of this cornmeal is complex, and I will explain it in more detail in another post. For today's recipe, however, the ready-made version, available in African grocery stores, is perfectly adequate. During my childhood, corn porridge was a staple in our daily lives, especially in the combination of BHB (Beignets, Haricots, Bouillie) – a classic dish familiar to anyone who grew up in Cameroon. Corn porridge became particularly memorable for me during Ramadan. At Iftar (breaking the fast), it was often served with fried plantains, enriched with peanut milk, rice, or both. It was always a treat to eat a warm bowl of corn porridge after the long hours of fasting. I continue this tradition to this day. Whenever possible, I prepare a bowl of corn porridge for Iftar, bringing a taste of home back into my everyday life. Even if my recipe might not work for you…

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goats
stews

Yam ragout with plantains and goat meat

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Goat meat is very popular in Cameroon and is usually prepared for special occasions, most often in the form of ragout | kondrè. I've let my creativity run wild again and today I've prepared a slightly modified version of kondrè, which normally consists mainly of (goat) meat and plantains. In addition to the main ingredients, I've added yams as another component, and the result is something to behold (and taste). Enjoy cooking it! Preparation: Clean the meat and cut it into larger pieces. Peel and wash the plantains and yams and cut them into pieces about 5 cm long. Then chop the tomatoes, onions, and spring onions. Heat the oil in a pot, add the onions and salt, and sauté. Add the goat meat and sear briefly. Add the garlic-ginger paste, pepper, rondelles (spiced onions), lovage, herbes de Provence, and paprika, stir well, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add the basil leaves, thyme, rosemary, and tomatoes, mix well, and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Plantains…

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suya
spice mix

Kankan | Suya spice mix

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Suya ist ein sehr beliebtes Streetfood in westafrikanischen Raum. Das Geheimnis von Suya ist sein typisch scharfe, nussige und sehr leckere Gewürzmischung, den Kankan, Der Kankan bekommt seine nussige Note durch seine Hauptzutat, die Erdnüsse und zwar die gerösteten. Jeder Suya, denn ich in meiner Kindheit in Kamerun oder während meine Aufenthalte in der Heimat gegessen habe, hatte eine eigene Extra, alle haben anders aber alle super lecker geschmeckt. Das liegt an der Gewürzkomposition jeder Suya Meister. Ich habe jahrelang meine Gewürzmischung von Zuhause nach Deutschland mitgebracht, bis ich auf ein Rezept für eine sehr gut gelungene Mischung gestoßen bin und dieses möchte sie mit Dir teilen. Viel Spaß beim Nachkochen! Zubereitung Alle Zutaten in einem Mörser oder ein Trockenmixer/Kaffeemühle geben und zu einem Pulver zermahlen. Das Ganze als Video Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Fadi N. (@chez.fadi)

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stews

Topsi Banana | Green banana stew with smoked chicken

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Let me tell you something you might not know about bananas: As long as they're green/unripe, their flavor is quite neutral. It's only when they ripen that the sweet taste we know from bananas develops. When they're still green, they can be cooked, grilled, fried, and served as a side dish, similar to boiled potatoes or plantains. Or, as I'm going to show you today, you can prepare them in a stew. I've already mentioned that I can't stand the sight of another banana. That doesn't apply to Topsi Banana, also known as Bananes malaxées. Almost everyone who grew up in Cameroon, or even better, lived in the Littoral Region, knows this dish. The original recipe uses Mbounga (a very inexpensive type of dried fish) instead of meat, or just dried crayfish, or even a vegetarian version. That's why Topsi Banana used to be considered poor people's food. The ingredients were few and quite cheap. Over time, the recipe became increasingly popular, especially among…

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pile
Main course

Pilé - mashed potatoes with red beans

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Pilé is a simple and very tasty dish from western Cameroon, more precisely from the Bamiléké region. It's mashed potatoes with beans (red or black), enriched with palm oil and dried shrimp, the latter being optional. In Loum, where I grew up, most of my neighbors came from the west, so they were Bamiléké. The neighbors often invited each other over for meals and always enjoyed cooking specialties from their respective regions. Some of our neighbors brought me many delicious dishes, some of which were new to me, including pilé. My passion for cooking often led me to ask for the recipe or, even better, to watch my neighbors prepare the dishes. Pilé is one of the results of this curiosity, and I'm happy to share my dear neighbor's recipe with you today. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Enjoy cooking it!

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Beignets

Beignets | Cameroonian doughnuts

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Beignets-Haricots – the star of Cameroonian cuisine. Anyone familiar with Cameroon knows them: Beignets-Haricots (BH), pronounced "B-Ash," or the more elaborate version, BHB with bouilli. This delicious combination is a staple of Cameroonian gastronomy and goes with every meal – whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just a snack. The freshly fried dough balls, straight from the hot oil, are especially popular, served with spicy bean stew, fried fish, or chicken. Every family has its own Mami Makala, known for her incomparable dough. Beignets remain a popular snack in the West African diaspora under names like Makala, Puff Puff, or Mikaté. Everyone has their own recipe – often with a secret ingredient that makes the dough special. Intrigued? Then try it yourself – you might just have the knack for it! Have fun cooking! Watch the video. See this post on Instagram. Shared this post…

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chicken
from the oven

Chicken au four | Baked chicken pieces

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Chicken – or, as we affectionately call it in Cameroon, the “most popular vegetable” – is a true all-rounder in the kitchen. Whether grilled, fried, baked, or even as a quick, improvised chicken sandwich, chicken is always a perfect fit! It's a culinary chameleon that shouldn't be underestimated in any form. Baked chicken, my personal favorite, goes perfectly with so many side dishes like plantains, bobolo (a type of potato dumpling), rice, fresh salad, or simply on its own for those particularly lazy days when all you need is chicken and good company. And for those who like a little more spice, here's a recipe that will test every sense of taste: chicken baked in a delicious magic sauce and seasoned with typical Cameroonian flavors like bêpê (spiced onions), essèssè (spiced onions), djangsand (spiced onions), and rondelles (spiced onions) – a combination that's not only delicious but also tantalizing! The best part? It's super quick to prepare and guaranteed to be a hit…

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koki
Main course

Koki – Cameroonian black-eyed pea cake

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Koki is a very popular Cameroonian dish made with black-eyed peas and palm oil from the western region. Traditionally, koki is cooked in banana leaves, which gives it a special flavor. We often had koki on Saturdays or Sundays because it's quite time-consuming to prepare. Koki was often accompanied by boiled unripe bananas or ripe plantains. What you save on ingredients when preparing koki, you make up for in time. Usually, the beans were soaked overnight so the skins would peel off more easily the next morning. The investment is always worth it because koki simply tastes delicious. Today I'm sharing my koki recipe with you. Have fun cooking it! Check out this post on Instagram. A post shared by Fadi N. (@chez.fadi) Et voilà! Bon appétit!

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fish plantains1
Fish dishes

Deep-fried sea bass with plantains

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Plantains (Kochbananen) sind eine geniale Erfindung der Natur. Ich habe grundsätzlich immer ein Bisschen Plantains Zuhause. Damit kann man immer ganz schnell was herzaubern kann. Ob mit Fisch, Fleisch, Eier, Gemüse oder so. Frittiert eine tolle und gesündere alternative zu Pommes. Gedämpft, ein Ersatz für Kartoffeln, Reis und Co. Gestammpft oder gegrillt und und und… Mit Wolsfbarsch, mein lieblingsfisch, kombiniert, ein Genuss. Da tauche ich ein in meiner Kindheit. Damals gab es bei uns Zuhause Samstags Abend oft gegrillte Wolfsbarsch mit gegrillte oder frittierte Kochbananen, Bobolo oder Miondo (Produkte aus Maniok). In meinem heutigen Rezept wird alles frittiert. Ein super einfaches und schnelles Gericht, das in Nu fertig ist. Viel Spaß beim Nachkochen! Zubereitung Wolfsbarsch reinigen und in 2 bis 3 stücke schneiden, gut und überall salzen und ein paar Minuten stehen lassen. Kochbananen schälen und längst in ca. 3mm feinen Scheiben schneiden. Frittieröl in einer Fritteuse oder Pfanne geben…

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chou blanc
sauces

Chou blanc au poulet fumé - White cabbage with smoked chicken

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My mother comes from the western province of Cameroon, in the Noun Department, and more precisely from Foumban. She grew up in Foumbot. Anyone familiar with Cameroon knows that the Noun Department is one of the richest agricultural regions in the country. As a child, I remember that the best tomatoes, green beans, peppers, carrots, white cabbage, and other fruits and vegetables came from Foumbot and the surrounding area. My mother always brought back lots of fresh produce, including white cabbage, directly from her numerous family visits to Foumbot to Loum (the town where I grew up). The next day, there was often white cabbage, prepared in countless variations: with fresh tomatoes and meat or fish, with melon seeds and meat or fish, with peanuts… I loved it and always looked forward to that day. I'm sharing one of these wonderful recipes with you, taking you along on a little piece of my childhood memories…

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