Cameroon – Egussi Okro and Yellow Garri

by Nghonazie Annabel

Okro is a fruit vegetable grown in almost if not all but at least six regions in Cameroon namely: northwest region particularly in wum which is cold, bafanji, balikumbat, bambalang, babanki, baba, babungo, bangolan, nso, Santa,, in the west region by the people of ngalim, banjoun, mbatcham, bamoun,, in the littoral region by the people of nkonsamba, manjo, loum,, in the south west region mostly around ekondo titi, ekombe bonji, marimba, kwakwa. In the center region okro can be seen grown by the beti and ewondo tribe. The okro which is grown in the center region is different from the one grown in the aforementioned region in that it is extremely large in size and longer than that grown in the other regions. In the east region okro is grown in a small scale due to the very harsh climatic condition of this region which cannot support the healthy growth of this fruit vegetable. Egussi okro is a delicious meal which is gotten from cooking okro and eggusi. Most people don’t always put egussi in their okro because egussi is very expensive so they prefer cooking plain okro. Thus cooking okro with egussi in it makes it more delicious and considered a very delicious meal. Okro soup itself is very nutritive and good for every age group from a toddler to adults to the aging. Egussi okro can be served with garri be it white or yellow, fufu corn, nkumnkum, water fufu, white rice, boiled cassava.

Cooking process

Egussi okro is prepared by boiling and stewing

Cooking ingredients

• A good quantity of fresh green okro
• 2 cups of egussi preferably country egussi
• A kilogram of red meat
• Canda
• Dry fish
• A good quantity of crayfish
• One large onions
• Garlics
• Green spices
• White pepper
• Small quantity of grind bush pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Maggi and salt to taste

Cooking procedure

• Wash red meat and cut into diserable sizes, pot in a pot add a liter of water, a cube of maggi, a pinch of salt, small sliced onions then also add the canda and take to a boil
• Ground egussi and mix in a small quantity of water, mix it very well and allow to rise
• Wash and cut okro and then use a mortar to pound or blend the okro
• Chop onions, and some green spices and keep
• Grind the rest of the green spices, green pepper, white pepper and garlics and keep
• When the meat and canda is ready, remove and drain and keep the stock aside
• Put vegetable oil in a pot and put on the fire. Allow to get hot , add the chopped onions and stir well until its done
• Add the pounded/blended okro and fry until it becomes homogenous
• Add the stock from the meat and canda, cover the pot and allow to boil for 3 minutes
• Put the egussi and stir well
• Add a glass of water and allow to cook for 10 minutes
• Add all the grind spices, dry fish, crayfish, meat and canda, maggi and salt and stir
• Allow to cook again for 10 minutes
• Egussi okro is ready, serve with yellow garri

Bonne appetite!