Cameroon, Western region – Bami Turning Plantains

by Djougwa Kouemo Patricia

Bami turning plantains is symbolic plate of food that is often prepared during special moments like birthdays, knock doors and born house. Born house is a moment when the parents of the newborn organize a feast to announce publicly the birth of their child, so they invite people for the reception. Bami turning plantains is a dish of food emerging from the grassland area of the West, a village in Cameroon. Most often, those emerging from this locality are seen as the Chinese of Cameroon. This is due to their combativity when it comes to commercial affairs. It is a domaine of prevalence reserved for them. It is a rich region with fertile soils and a welcoming environment. Today’s local cuisine takes us there.

In order to effectively cook Bami turning plantains, you need the following in your kitchen:

INGREDIENTS

• Half bunch of unripped plantains
• A cup of groundnut oil
• Two or three ginger
• A glove of garlics
• Spices
• Half kilo of cow meat
• Maggi to use
• Salt to use
• A bundle of celeri
• A bundle of percil
• Four big tomatoes
• One onion

COOKING PROCESS

• Begin by washing the cow meat and cut to desired sizes or quantity. After doing this, boil your meat and add a little bit of salt. Boil for a period of fifteen to twenty minutes. When ready, remove from fire.
• Next thing to do is to peel off plantains. When doing this, make sure to wear rubber gloves in order to protect from fingers from the liquid of the plantains. If you do not have rubber gloves, you can use plastics to cover your hands. When you finish with this, put the plantains in a clean boil of water and wash very well.
• After all these, move on by cleaning the tomatoes, onions, garlics, ginger and grind them all together at once. Make sure to grind them well. In order to obtain the best results, let it be cut into small sizes to grind them easliy and obtain the desired results and smoothness. Also, do not forget to add in water so as to facilitate the grinding process. Add just a little bit of water. Pouring much water is not advicable.
• Now, pour groundnut oil into the pot on fire. Do not allow it to steam. Just after pouring the oil, pour also the grinded species and others together. After doing this, add the plantains and stir very well. At the same time, also put maggi and salt. After doing this, pour two cups of water and close the pot. Then put the boiled cow meat and allow on fire for atleast thirty minutes. Depending on the amount you are cooking, allowing it on fire for an hour will be sufficient and good. After an hour, remove your turning plantains on fire and serve yourself. The taste is like raw mangoes.

NB : The reason it is being called turning plantains is because it is a meal originating from the Bami and it is often cooked there.