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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.
The story
Deeply embedded in the culinary identity of the Manyu and Bayangi peoples of Cameroon's Southwest Region, Eru is the obligatory centerpiece for weddings, titled assemblies, and celebratory feasts. The dish centers on the wild vine Gnetum africanum, which grows in the dense rainforest canopy and requires shredding into ultra-fine needle-like slivers before cooking. Traditionally, water is never added directly to the pot; instead, the waterleaf releases its own natural liquor to tenderize the fibrous eru, which is subsequently sealed and softened by a generous pour of pure red palm oil.
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