Cameroon – Apatha Soup and Ripe Plantains

by Nghonazie Annabel

Apatha soup is a fruit vegetable soup gotten from a fruit vegetable called apatha. This soup is widely prepared by the people of the mbu area in the North West region of Cameroon. This soup is eaten with plantains, white yams and even rice. The people of the north and center region of Cameroon loves eating apatha soup with bobolo and cassava. This soup is cheap especially in the area where the fruit vegetable is grown since it’s sold at a very cheap price and most people just harvest them from their garden or in their farms making it easier for them to prepare at a very cheap rate. When meat is added to this soup, it increases the taste and nutritive content as well. Apatha soup can be prepared with egussi as well as groundnut.

Cooking method

Apatha soup is prepared by frying and plantains prepared by boiling

Cooking ingredients

• 10 fresh apatha fruits
• 10 fingers of plantains
• Half a kilogram of red meat
• 3 smoked fish
• 5 fresh tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• Leaks
• crayfish
• Groundnut oil
• Maggi and salt to taste

Cooking process

1. Peel the plantains and wash, cut into desired shapes and put in a pot. Add water to surpass the plantain level and then put on the fire

Wash the apatha fruits and boil for 15 minutes, remove and allow to cold. Peel off the skin and pound the fruits in a mortar or press in a pot using a mortar pistle. When it’s well pound, remove and keep.

1. Make sure to select out the seeds as much as you can
2. Wash tomatoes, onions and leaks and slice
3. Wash meat and boil
4. Put groundnut oil in a pot and allow to get hot, when it’s hot add the sliced tomatoes, onions and leaks and fry until its done
5. Add the mashed apatha and stir, allow to cook for 5 minutes
6. Add the boiled meat, crayfish and smoked fish, add maggi and salt and a bit of water. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 10 minutes
7. When it’s ready, remove and safe with the ripe plantains

Enjoy your meal