Chez Fadi
Cameroonian and West African cuisine reinterpreted
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tropical fruit
fruit

Salade de fruits tropicaux | Tropical fruit salad

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The temperatures of the last few days have been truly tropical and strongly reminded me of my hometown, Douala. Anyone who's ever been to Douala knows exactly what I'm talking about. During my numerous family visits back home, I always experience the same scenario: as soon as the plane lands in Douala and the doors open, you're immediately greeted by a thick, humid blast of air. I always say, "Welcome to Douala!" To match the tropical temperatures of the last few days, I have a refreshing recipe for you. Today, the kitchen stays cold – instead, there's a fresh fruit salad with delicious tropical fruits. If you already feel like you're in Douala, you should at least reinforce that impression with a suitable snack. In this humidity, there's hardly anything better. Try it! For this fruity salad, I used only fruits that can be found on every corner in Douala and are grown there…

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stews

Sautéed potatoes with smoked chicken | Potato stew with smoked chicken

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During my childhood, I rarely had the opportunity to eat potatoes, as they were quite expensive in Cameroon back then. This was because potatoes were only grown in a few regions of my homeland, which naturally affected the price. Therefore, potato dishes were a special treat for me, as for all the other children. I was all the more surprised when I came to Germany many years ago and found potatoes in all varieties and price ranges offered in supermarkets. During my first few months here in my adopted home, potatoes were served very often, until I simply couldn't stand the sight of them anymore. Now I've rediscovered my love for potatoes, as fries of course, but also in stews with tomato sauce and meat, just like in my childhood. This dish always symbolized comfort for me. Today's recipe comes from my mother. However, I've adapted it…

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Bean salad
appetizer

White Bean Salad | White Bean Salad

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After a long absence, I'm back today with a delicious recipe for all bean lovers. I was inspired by my collaboration with Saveurs d'Afrik, who regularly supply me with tasty ingredients. Red beans, as well as white beans, are often served in Cameroonian dishes because they are healthy and very filling. Therefore, they offer a nutritious and delicious meal, especially for vegans. Since it's been quite hot the last few days, we often skipped a hot meal, so I opted for a bean salad, which everyone really enjoyed. It certainly didn't take long before it was all gone. This bean salad requires very few ingredients and is quick to prepare. Why not give it a try? Watch the video. Check out this post on Instagram. A post shared by Fadi N. (@chez.fadi) And as…

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Sea bream
Fish dishes

Dorade à la Camerounaise | Cameroon-style sea bream

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The last few days have been very summery and give a hint of what the coming days will hopefully be like: hot. Summer here often reminds me of my homeland, Cameroon. I always get a little melancholic there, especially during the first hot days of the year. This is intensified when the smell of grilled food wafts from everywhere. Summertime is, of course, also grilling season in Germany. In Cameroon, on the other hand, grilling is a daily occurrence, whether at the many suya stands or with poisson braisé at the woman's house around the corner. You're offered something grilled all year round. What's the best remedy for this melancholy? Cooking, of course! At least that's the case for me. Others will probably think: "But you're always cooking anyway!" Yes, that's true. But there's always a…

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Strawberry season
Dessert

Le temps des fraises | Strawberry time

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Strawberry season started a few weeks ago here, and like every year, we get the first ones from the strawberry stand just around the corner. They're not quite as flavorful in the first few weeks, but over time, the taste gradually intensifies while the price decreases. Once we're in the thick of strawberry season, we realize that summer isn't far away. Strawberries really are something special. Their shape and color remind me of a heart, and therefore, for me, they are the ultimate symbol of love among all fruits. At our house, my husband is the "strawberry in charge." He's the one who gets the strawberries and then prepares them according to his own recipe. I often discreetly watch him as he lovingly prepares what I call strawberry season..

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saladed avocados
appetizer

Salade d'avocats à la Camerounaise | Cameroonian avocado salad

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Although this recipe was a constant companion throughout my childhood and into my teens, I unfortunately made it far too infrequently. While I have published several new interpretations of this recipe on my blog, such as avocado salad with pomegranate seeds or another version with shrimp, I've sadly always forgotten the original from my homeland of Cameroon. I really must put an end to this! Avocados come in all shapes and sizes in Cameroon, catering to every taste. The best, however, are those from Mbouda, especially the Avocats-beurre variety, which translates to "butter avocado." They are so named because their consistency is as smooth as butter, making them incredibly spreadable, and their flavor is exceptionally aromatic. For this reason, they are simply the dream of a delicious avocado. For as long as I can remember, we've always had…

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Bissap
drinks

Jus de Bissap/Foléré Rapide | Express Bissap Juice

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The season for chilled drinks is almost here. How about a recipe for one of my all-time favorite refreshing beverages? Bissap, or Foléré as it's called in Cameroon, has become a must-have in my kitchen. I also always include Bissap juice in my cooking classes for my students, and it's always won them over. Whether straight or mixed with water, hot or cold, Bissap is simply delicious. A few months ago, a friend of mine from Senegal showed me this recipe. I was visiting her, and she offered me a glass of Bissap and asked if I was familiar with it. "Of course I know Bissap," I replied, "We call it Foléré in Cameroon." But when I tasted her Bissap, I was immediately captivated by its flavor…

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Ramadan Lamb
from the oven

Épaule d'agneau Grillée | Grilled lamb shoulder

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Wie schon im vorherigen Beitrag angekündigt, geht es heute um mein obligatorisches Lammfleischgericht anlässlich des Zuckerfestes. Zum Zucker- und Opferfest gehört Lammfleisch schlicht und ergreifen dazu und das fast immer in gegrillter Form. Und manche Traditionen sollen doch einfach nicht aus der Mode kommen, habe ich da nicht recht? Dieses Jahr sollte dabei auch keine Ausnahme sein, aber zur Abwechslung habe ich dieses Mal wieder eine neue Kombination von Gewürzen ausprobiert. Das Lammfleisch hole ich mir immer am besten am Vortag des Festes von einer türkischen Metzgerei in meiner Stadt. Nachdem ich es gründlich gereinigt und trocken abgetupft habe, bereite ich die Marinade vor. Damit die Marinade überall reinkommt, werden durch ein paar Messerstiche in das Fleisch kleine Öffnungen gemacht. Anschließend wird das Fleisch von überall mit der Marinade gut einmassiert und danach gut vierzehn bis sechzehn Stunden im Kühlschrank gelagert, damit sie gut einziehen kann. Nach der Lagerung im…

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Ramadan
Happy Holiday

An unusual Ramadan celebration

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First and foremost, I would like to wish all Muslims in my community Ramadan Mubarak! Or, as we say here in Cameroon, Barka Dassala! As was the case a year ago, I again felt that fasting was easier this year than the year before, and even considerably easier than in the past ten years. This isn't really surprising, since the month of Ramadan is currently shifting back ten days each year in the calendar, moving towards winter. This thankfully makes the days shorter compared to the nights, and consequently, fewer hours of fasting. Although the three-day Eid al-Fitr/Sugar Feast falls very conveniently on a weekend this year, for the first time in over ten years, I wasn't able to take time off for it. The reason was a very important meeting at work…

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Plantain balls
appetizer

Plantain balls | Plantain balls

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As I often say, plantains are truly a wonderful invention of nature! They can be prepared in so many different ways, and every single one tastes delicious. Here's how today's recipe came about: I had a few yellow plantains left over from my last shopping trip in the fridge. They weren't spoiled yet, but they were starting to get a bit spotted. They definitely didn't look good enough to steam, and I personally thought simply frying them would be too boring. Then I remembered a recipe I'd seen on social media a few days ago that I'd been meaning to try anyway. The balls in that recipe were made with yams, but I figured if it works with yams, plantains can certainly do it too. The yam ball recipe used tuna. But I wanted to start with a vegetarian version…

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