Cameroon – Plooploo Coco

by Nghonazie Annabel

Cameroon. Though prepared almost nationwide now and eaten by almost 90 percent of Cameroon’s population, plooploo coco remains one of the delicacy of the people of North West and the west region of Cameroon. This delicious meal has gained the stomach of many people so much such that there are special joints or restaurants just for this meal. In such joints, only plooploo coco can be found and the population which is seen around these places is always large. Plooploo coco takes a lot of time to get it ready but because it’s such a delicious meal, people or lovers of this meal sacrifices the time to prepare it. With a lot of advancements, there are now machines used to grind this coco yams and this has really facilitated and ease the work of the hands. Instead of spending hours just to grate coco yams using a hand grater, it can now be grind using a machine.

Cooking method

Plooploo coco is a meal which generated from the west region and the North West region of Plooploo coco is prepared by boiling

Cooking ingredients

• 10 large coco yams
• Half a liter of palm oil
• Green soft makabo leaves
•  Ground Country onions
• Crayfish
• Smoked fish
• Maggi and salt to taste

Cooking process

1. Peel coco yams, wash and take to a machine and grind
2. Wash green soft makabo leaves and cut into small pieces
3. Select smoked fish, wash and keep aside
4. Line the surface of a clean put with small quantity of palm oil
5. Put the grind coco yams in a bowl, add water bit by bit and mix until the desired consistency is reached
6. Use a table spoon and scoop a little quantity of the coco yams and wrap in the makabo leave. Place in a pot in a circular manner making sure there is a small opening in the middle where water can be put
7. Put a cup of water in the pot and put on the fire
8. Allow to boil for 20 minutes
9. Add Cray fish, ground country onions, and smoked fish
10. Pour the palm oil into the content and allow to cook for another 40 minutes
11. Check the water quantity often to make sure it doesn’t get dry
12. When the content in the pot must have cooked well, use a cooking spoon and stir gently making sure it doesn’t scatter. Add maggi and salt at this stage and allow to cook till ready
13. When the soupy liquid is thick enough, it indicates that the meal is ready
14. Put the pot down and dish out the food
15. Save in a casserole dish and eat with the fingers

Enjoy your meal