Central Africa
Cameroon
Africa in miniature: ndolé, suya spice, forest greens and coastal seafood in one country.
Staples
- Bobolo (fermented cassava batons steamed in leaves)
- Plantain (eaten green, ripe, fried as dodo, or stewed in kondre)
- Taro and Cocoyam (pounded for achu or boiled in kwacoco)
- Ndolé (wild bitterleaf greens cooked into rich stews)
- Cornmeal (cooked into dense foufou de maïs)
Seasonings
- Njansang (ground aromatic Ricinodendron heudelotii seeds)
- Pèbè (false nutmeg / Monodora myristica)
- Mbongo (charred alligator pepper and bush spices)
- Rondelle or Olum (Afrostyrax tree bark and seeds)
- Unrefined red palm oil (huile de palme)
Techniques
- Wrapping and steaming pastes in Marantaceae leaves
- Charring wild aromatics for dark mbongo sauce
- Pounding boiled cocoyam into elastic achu mash
- Simmering bitter leaves with ground raw peanuts
At the table
Meals are traditionally prepared by women over three-stone hearths or charcoal braziers, centering on a dense starch mound accompanied by a rich leafy stew or peppery broth. While coastal Douala tables celebrate savory seafood Ndolé eaten with miondo, the Western Grassfields center their feasts around bright yellow limestone Achu soup pooled inside volcanic cocoyam wells.
32 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Beignets-Haricots (Yeast Fritters with Stewed Beans and Pili-Pili)
Crisp golden yeast puff puff served alongside slow-simmered spiced red beans and fiery pili-pili pepper sauce.
Bouillie de Maïs (Spiced Fermented Corn Grits Porridge)
Silky, tangy fermented yellow corn grits simmered with crushed grains of selim, warming ginger, and sweetened with raw sugar.
Soup
Djobo (Palm Kernel Pulp and Smoked Fish Soup)
A fragrant, rich Sawa soup of fresh oil palm fruit pulp, washed bitterleaf, and flaked smoked fish bursting with coastal barks.
Nkui (Glutinous Herbal Bark Soup)
A thick, sticky medicinal Bamileke broth drawn from wild bark and seasoned with twelve aromatic woodland spices.
Main
Achu (Pounded Cocoyam with Yellow Limestone Soup)
Silky pounded cocoyam paired with an effervescent, emulsified yellow soup spiced with wild forest aromatics.
Eru (Wild Gnetum and Waterleaf Stew with Cow Skin and Smoked Fish)
A glossy, rich forest vegetable stew combining tough wild Gnetum leaves, soft waterleaf, smoked seafood, and red palm oil.
Koki (Steamed Black-Eyed Pea and Palm Oil Cake)
Fluffy, vibrant orange steamed cowpea pudding emulsified with virgin red palm oil and fiery habanero peppers wrapped in banana leaves.
Kondre (Spiced Plantain and Meat Mash)
A rich, earthy one-pot plantain and goat stew heavily scented with wild forest spices and toasted djansang.
Kpem (Pounded Cassava Leaves without Oil)
Earthy Beti-style pounded cassava leaves simmered gently without oil until tender, creamy, and deeply savory alongside boiled tubers.
Kwacoco Bible (Grated Cocoyam and Smoked Fish Parcel)
Steamed plantain leaf parcels layering silky grated red cocoyam, spinach greens, and rich smoked bonga fish in palm oil.
Matobou (Sun-Dried Meat in Groundnut and Squash Seed Sauce)
A rich Sahelian stew of rehydrated sun-dried beef braised in a velvety squash seed and groundnut sauce with dried okra.
Mbappé (Crushed Egusi and Fish Bundle)
Steamed banana-leaf bundles of rich egusi paste infused with smoked fish, crayfish, and peppery coastal aromatics.
Mbongo Tchobi (Scorched-Bark Black Herb Fish Stew)
An aromatic, jet-black ancestral fish stew colored and flavored with charred forest pods, toasted seeds, and tomatoes.
Ndolé (Cameroonian Bitterleaf and Peanut Stew)
Cameroon's national masterpiece: velvety ground peanut stew with tender bitterleaf, succulent beef, dried crayfish, and shrimp.
Okok (Sweetened Wild Gnetum Leaves with Peanut Butter)
Shredded wild Gnetum leaves slow-cooked in rich palm nut extract, roasted peanut paste, and subtle cane sugar into a silky, savory-sweet stew.
Poulet DG (Plantain and Vegetable Braised Chicken)
A vibrant stir-braise of golden fried ripe plantains, browned chicken, and crunchy garden vegetables in spiced aromatics.
Sangah (Cassava Leaves, Sweet Corn, and Palm Juice Mash)
A vibrant, creamy Central Cameroonian comfort mash of tender cassava leaves, sweet fresh corn kernels, and fresh red palm nut nectar.
Side
Bobolo (Fermented Pounded Cassava Baton)
Traditional dense, translucent fermented cassava baton wrapped tightly in Marantaceae leaves and steamed to a springy texture.
Miondo (Thin Leaf-Wrapped Fermented Cassava Stick)
Slender, ribbon-thin steamed batons of fermented cassava wrapped in leaves, presenting a delicate sour companion for grilled fish.
Pèbè et Mbongo (Roasted Native Forest Seed and Wild Pepper Blend)
An intensely aromatic, smoky black spice foundation crafted from charred wild forest seeds and native peppers.
Tasba (Sorghum and Finger Millet Polenta)
A stiff, nutty dual-millet polenta pounded into glistening mounds to scoop rich sahelian sauces.
Dessert
Dakéré (Steamed Millet Pearls with Sweet Fermented Milk)
Tender steamed millet couscous pearls suspended in sweet, chilled fermented whole milk scented with vanilla and nutmeg.
Nkeng (Caramelized Ripe Plantain and Cocoyam Confection)
A rich, steamed pudding of overripe plantains and red cocoyam fragrant with palm oil, ginger, and wild spices.
Drink
Bil-bil (Fermented Red Sorghum Craft Beer)
A cloudy, low-alcohol artisanal ancestral ale brewed from malted red sorghum and clarified using traditional wild mucilage.
Foléré (Spiced Hibiscus Calyx and Ginger Infusion)
A vibrant, ruby-red Cameroonian hibiscus tonic infused with fiery crushed ginger, aromatic pineapple skins, and fragrant sweet spices.
Matango (Fresh Fermented Oil Palm Sap Wine)
A pristine, effervescent Central African rainforest palm wine subtly infused with wild bitter woods and ancestral spices.
Street food
Beignets de Macabo (Deep-Fried Grated Cocoyam Fritters)
Crisp, golden-crusted cocoyam fritters with a tender interior, laced with crayfish, aromatic herbs, and fiery habanero.
Koki Corn (Steamed Fresh Sweetcorn and Spinach Loaf)
Freshly ground sweet summer corn folded with velvety spinach and rich red palm oil, steamed inside banana leaf parcels into a soft, savory pudding.
Lekoh (Crispy Roasted Winged Termites)
Golden, crunchy roasted winged termites lightly seasoned with salt and Cameroonian wild garlic, rendering a rich nutty street delicacy.
Mintoumba (Fermented Cassava and Red Palm Oil Steamed Bread)
Golden fermented cassava paste swirled with virgin red palm oil and chili is wrapped in banana leaves and slow-steamed to a dense, tangy loaf.
Poisson Braisé (Charcoal-Grilled Whole Fish with African Aromatic Rub)
Whole fresh fish is bathed in a pungent wild-spice and herb marinade, then blistered over hardwood coals to succulent, smoky perfection.
Soya (Thinly Sliced Char-Grilled Spiced Beef Skewers)
Tender, wafer-thin beef ribbons are crusted in aromatic kankankan spice and flash-grilled over red-hot charcoal until smoky and sizzling.