Chez Fadi
Cameroonian and West African cuisine reinterpreted
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bissap
drinks

Infusion au Bissap | African mallow tea

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Autumn is also the season for hot drinks, and it has undoubtedly arrived, with all its good and not-so-good sides. There are quite a few good things about autumn, though. Nature transforms, the leaves on the trees glow in typical autumnal red and gold hues. Combined with the sun, this transformation creates something truly magical. Pumpkins and other autumnal fruits are harvested… Unfortunately, the other, less pleasant aspects of autumn are also part of the experience. These include shorter days and gloomy fog that barely lets the sun through. It's more than understandable that this can trigger a mild depression in some, the so-called autumn blues. Colds and flu-like infections are also common. Fortunately, there are ways to combat these negative aspects of autumn. I have a few comforting drinks that really help me chase away the autumn blues…

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KircherCurry
stews

Vegan chickpea curry with potatoes and spinach

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When I don't know what to cook, curry is usually on the menu. That's odd, isn't it? You're probably wondering why I, a self-proclaimed champion of West African cuisine, cook with curry so much. However, it's a fact that West African cuisine is just as diverse and flavorful as Indian cuisine. When I need something quick, spicy, delicious, and easy, I usually cook Indian or Thai dishes, as they are very similar to West African cuisine. Furthermore, curry ingredients are easy to find in almost any supermarket, unlike African ingredients, which are unfortunately still mostly only available in specialty food stores. An even more important reason is that everyone in my family loves curry dishes. As with all my dishes, I let my imagination run wild every time I prepare curry. Sometimes it's Indian curry, sometimes…

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pumpkin
from the oven

Baked pumpkin strips

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As we all know, autumn heralds the arrival of pumpkin season. As soon as it begins, a delicious pumpkin soup is often the first thing that springs to mind. But pumpkins can be used for so much more than just soup. One possible alternative is baked pumpkin strips. This recipe is so easy to make and contains no animal products, so it can easily be served to vegans. Plus, the result is absolutely delicious. The recipe requires only a few ingredients: pumpkin, cooking oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. That's it! Serve it with a green or mixed salad, and you have the perfect autumn meal. Enjoy! Watch the video. Check out this post on Instagram. A post shared by Fadi N. (@chez.fadi)

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avocado salad
Veggie

Salade d'avocat aux graines de grenade| Avocado salad with pomegranate seeds

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Avocado used to be one of my top five favorite fruits. In Cameroon, avocados are most often used as a delicious topping for bread or sandwiches. Another very popular way to enjoy them is as an accompaniment to various side dishes like steamed cassava, yams, or bobolo—very tasty. Avocado salad, on the other hand, used to be something rather special and rare for me. This mainly happened when avocados were plentiful. This was usually the case during the main harvest seasons, which run from February to May and from July to September. During these times, avocado prices are quite low, and they were practically everywhere. What did you already know about avocados? The avocado (Persea americana Mill., also Persea gratissima CFGaertn.) is a plant species from the laurel family (Lauraceae). Botanically speaking, the fruit is a berry. Avocados originated in the tropical rainforests of Central Africa and Mexico. Cameroon is one of the largest producers of avocados in Central Africa, with around 120,000…

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appetizer

Pili au Thon | Filled dumplings with tuna filling

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I put off making this recipe for a long time. Why? The answer is simple: I hate working with flour. Except when making beignets, of course, because that dough always turns out perfectly for me… well, almost always. That's also why I bake so rarely. Unfortunately, I only manage to bake cakes very rarely. Even when I use a cake mix, something can still go wrong. Therefore, I kept putting off this recipe from my childhood, which was originally at the very top of my "To Publish" list. But now to the dish itself. What exactly are pili? Pili, or meat pie (with a meat filling) in Cameroon, also known as Fataya in Senegal and called pastels in French, are filled pastries made from shortcrust pastry – and that's precisely MY problem: pastry, which is very common in West Africa. Pili…

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pepesoup
Fish dishes

Pèpè Soup royal | Pangasius and king prawns pepper soup

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This week has unfortunately made it abundantly clear that we must slowly but surely say goodbye to summer. This is evident not only in the shorter days, but also in the temperatures, which are no longer as high as they were a few weeks ago. Especially in the mornings and evenings, you can immediately tell that autumn is approaching. I was often so cold this week that I had to put on extra socks. To get you in the mood for the inevitable arrival of the colder season, I've unearthed this delicious recipe for you, which I've made many times before. Pepè Soup is a very flavorful and slightly spicy soup/sauce from West African cuisine. And a spicy soup is just what we need for the beginning of autumn. In Cameroon, Pepè Soup is often cooked with fish, specifically pangasius/catfish. I've posted a few different recipes here before, each time…

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bobolo
Side dishes

Bobolo fait maison | Homemade bobolo/cassava bread

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Bobolo and Miondo (thinner versions of Bobolo), also known as cassava bread, are among the most popular side dishes in West African cuisine, along with fufu and plantains. Both terms refer to a dough made from fermented cassava wrapped in rush or banana leaves. Bobolo can be found throughout West Africa, sometimes under other names, such as chikwangue. It is a popular accompaniment to all sorts of dishes, like meat, ndolè, koki, and so on. Making Bobolo yourself is a lot of work. When I still lived at home, we made it once or twice. After that, we never bothered again. We had seriously underestimated the effort involved. If you're not familiar with this craft, it's really no fun, because making Bobolo is a lengthy process. First, the fresh cassava tubers are peeled, washed, and then cut into pieces. Then they are covered with plenty of water and left to soak for about…

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spaghetti camerounese
Main course

Spaghetti Camerounese | Spaghetti with tomato sauce, Cameroonian style

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Spaghetti is especially popular with children. At least, that's what I've observed, both here in Germany and in other European countries I've visited. In my home country of Cameroon, spaghetti is always a hit, too. A few days ago, I visited one of my friends. She's German with Hungarian roots, and like me, she's a passionate cook. She pulled out some cookbooks from her collection, and we chatted about different dishes. We also talked at length about our home countries. During this conversation, so many childhood memories came flooding back, memories I hadn't even thought about in a long time. Since she'd been wanting to show me how easy it is to make homemade pasta, we actually did it about half an hour later and made fresh spaghetti together. It was a wonderful experience, and I started to…

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pouletaucitron
from the oven

Chicken thighs on zucchini with Moroccan preserved lemons

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Hello from my vacation in beautiful Switzerland. Even on vacation, I can't help but think about food. Especially during vacation time, food is even more important to me. You're often out and about, which offers the opportunity to discover new dishes and eating habits. I love to be inspired by that. This was certainly the case with today's recipe from Moroccan cuisine. Today's recipe also features preserved lemons. As I mentioned in my previous post, this practical lemon recipe from Morocco gives any dish a light lemon flavor without making it too sour. This time, I used the preserved lemon to enhance my beloved oven-roasted chicken. Watch the video. Check out this post on Instagram. A post shared by Fadi N. (@chez.fadi) And download it…

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preserved lemon
Spices

Moroccan Salt Lemon | Preserved Lemons

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In my last post, I mentioned using preserved lemons to enhance my zucchini casserole. Now I'm keeping my promise and sharing the recipe with you. Besides clean jars with screw-top lids, you only need three other ingredients: lemons, salt, and water. What exactly is Moroccan preserved lemon? As the name suggests, this recipe comes from Moroccan cuisine. There, it's used to season and enhance many dishes. Unlike fresh lemons, preserving them in brine softens the lemon's intense acidity without affecting its fresh aroma. The lemon peel softens, and a kind of salty syrup forms. How do you use preserved lemons? The key to Moroccan preserved lemons is that the whole lemon, including the peel and brine, is used for seasoning. Personally, I use these lemons for…

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