Traditional Cameroonian recipes * Chez Fadi

Leafy greens

Ndolè goes Veggie | Cameroonian Ndolè without anything

By Fadi May 22, 2021

Ndolè is often described as the quintessential Cameroonian national dish. So, anyone with Cameroonian friends has surely heard of Ndolè, or even better, tasted it. Ndolè is delicious, but fully appreciating it requires time, care, and patience. I can assure you, it's all worth it in the end. In my opinion, the difficulty lies in the cleaning process of the Ndolè leaves. I remember what it was like when I was a child. It felt like it took a whole day until we were finished with the preparation. So, we always prepared larger quantities at once and froze or dried them so that all the effort would be worthwhile for several meals. First, the leaves have to be carefully picked out individually from the stalks. Then, they are finely chopped. After that, they go into a pot with hot water and rock salt. The leaves are then boiled until they are soft…

Side dishes

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

By Fadi April 24, 2021

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…

stews

Yam ragout with plantains and goat meat

By Fadi April 10, 2021

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…

Main course

Pilé - mashed potatoes with red beans

By Fadi February 27, 2021

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!

Side dishes

Mets de Pistache | Ngônd'a – Cameroonian Pumpkin Seed Cake

By Fadi January 30, 2021

The African pistachio (also known as pistache africaine or egousi/egusi in English) is the seed of certain species of gourd that grow primarily in tropical West Africa. This type of gourd is very popular thanks to its high oil and protein content. In Cameroon and West Africa, its use in cooking is incredibly diverse. The most popular pistachio dishes are Mets de pistache, also known as Ngôndo'o, and Sauce Pistache. Mets de pistache is a type of cake made with pistachios, traditionally steamed in banana leaves. The best Mets de pistache I've ever eaten were made by my maternal grandmother. Back then, whenever we visited her, she always served Mets de pistache (Mbouo Nji'i in Bamoun) with yam, bobolo, or bread. What wonderful memories! I watched her prepare it so often back then, and I'm sharing the recipe with you as I remember it, and it would even be like Grandma used to make it…

Beignets

Beignets | Cameroonian doughnuts

By Fadi January 16, 2021

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…

Main course

Koki – Cameroonian black-eyed pea cake

By Fadi November 28, 2020

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!

Leafy greens

Ndolè royal

By Fadi October 31, 2020

Ndolè is a sauce made from bitter leaves, dried peanuts, onions, garlic, ginger, meat or fish, and dried crayfish. The luxury version, called Ndolè Royal, also includes shrimp. At first glance, Ndolè looks like creamed spinach, but its flavor is an explosion! Ndolè is, for me, the diva of Cameroonian cuisine! You either love it or you love it. Its appearance, its aroma, its charm, the whole experience that stimulates the taste buds… indescribable! I've never met anyone who doesn't like Ndolè. Once you've tried it, you're hooked and can finally pronounce its name! Ndolè is a must-have at any Cameroonian party or buffet. After all, Ndolè is Cameroon's national dish. Preparation: Thaw the Ndolè, then cook it in water with rock salt for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Place the chopped beef in a pot with water, salt, and 3 tablespoons of Magic Sauce and cook for about 20 minutes…