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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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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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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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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Asian salad
Ramadan

Ramadan recipe idea | Asian noodle salad

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We all love salads, don't we? At least that's the case for me. I eat salad at least five times a week. If I'm invited to a party with a buffet, I fill my stomach with salad first and often forget about the main courses that follow. Especially now, during the holy month of Ramadan, people tend to eat less salad/raw food, as some don't tolerate raw food well in the evening. However, you don't have to give up salad just because you're only allowed to eat it in the morning and evening. People often think only of raw food when they talk about salads. But salad can be so much more than just raw vegetables and green leaves. You can create a salad from practically any food. A few examples are potato salad, tuna salad, tabbouleh salad, attiékeh salad, and of course, pasta salad. After my post about attiékeh salad, which, by the way…

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Attiéké salad
Salads

Attiéké Salad

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Attiéké is a specialty from the Ivory Coast and is made from fermented cassava roots. In Cameroon, there's a similar food in dry form called gari, which can be prepared in a similar way to attiéké. At first glance, attiéké looks like oriental couscous and is prepared similarly. It's also known as Ivory Coast couscous, which translates to "Ivory Coast couscous." Unlike oriental couscous, however, attiéké has a slightly sour taste that gives the dish a distinctive flavor. Because attiéké is made from cassava, it's naturally gluten-free and therefore very well tolerated by many, especially those with allergies. It's thus an ideal alternative to oriental couscous, which is made from wheat. I've already published several attiéké recipes. I still remember the first one – a vegetable stir-fry with attiéké – very well. A few months later, I tried another recipe, which I…

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Griesfufu
Side dishes

Couscous Corn Semolina | Fufu made from a mixture of cornmeal and wheat semolina

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It's been a while since I last published a recipe, as I spent the last few weeks before the end of the year writing about some important spices in Cameroonian cuisine. I really enjoyed it and was delighted by all the feedback I've received from you. Now it's finally time to publish a new recipe again. To be honest, this time it was really difficult to choose a dish or recipe to write about first. Then I suddenly remembered that I'd received a lot of questions about fufu after posting the following video on my Instagram this week. That's how I decided on fufu. [See this post on Instagram: A post shared by Fadi N. (@chez.fadi) Trend food: Fufu? I need fufu…]

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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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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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