Cameroon – Kwem

by Wirba Brice Divine Ransinyuy

Kwem is a local cuisine having the taste of raw grass. It is highly appreciated by the people of the South due to the fact that it contains so much nutrients that is very vital and essential to the human body as it adds Iron and purifies the blood against acids and any harmful material in the body. This local cuisine is being cooked in the Southern part of Cameroon. They savage it as they eat it from Monday to Sunday, be it in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening. They consider it useful to the human body than any other food they have in their possession.

Cooking method of Kwem

The cooking method of kwem is that of stewing.

Cooking Ingredients of Kwem

• Two bundles of kwem leaves
• A glove of garlics
• Two big onions
• A bundle of ginger
• A full leg of a chicken
• On quarter bundle of plantains
• Two cups of groundnut

Seasoning ingredients of kwem

• Salt to taste
• Maggi to taste
• Groundnut oil
• Maggi crevette
• Maggi arome
• Pepper (optional)

Cooking process of kwem

1. Clean your kwem leaves
2. Cut your kwem leaves
3. After cutting your kwem leaves, wash them four to five times making sure to remove any possible dirt from it.
4. Place in a clean bowl and cover
5. Wash the one quarter chicken and cut into smaller sizes.
6. The next thing to do is to boil the chicken, then add onions inside while boiling.
7. Allow it to boil for a period of thirty minutes.
8. After thirty minutes, remove the chicken from fire and separate it from the stuck water.
9. The next thing to do is to to fry the chicken.
10. Fry them all, either too dry or just lightly dry.
11. From here, proceed with the next thing.
12. Wash the onions, garlics and ginger.
13. Remove their peelings and chop into small parts.
14. Then grind the onions, garlics and ginger together.
15. Move next to the groundnut
16. Boil hot water for a period of fifteen minutes
17. Pour the boiled hot water into the groundnut
18. Allow the groundnut for a period of five to ten minutes for it to start peeling off. When it begins to peel offs, remove the remaining peelings with your hand, if it turns out to be hard to remove on its own.
19. After this, grind the groundnut using the molinex. But before grinding the groundnut, remove the peelings of the groundnut as it gives more taste to the food. This is a part of the secret when cooking kwem.
20. From here, place your pot on fire and pour in oil.
21. Pour in the grinded onions, ginger and garlics into the pot.
22. Add in salt and maggi also
23. Stir your pot and allow it for a period of five minutes
24. Throw in the kwem leaves and also the fried chicken.
25. Stir the pot and after a period of five minutes, pour in water.
26. The next thing is to pour in the stuck water, like a cup of it.
27. Make sure not to close the pot with a lid as the groundnut will pour out.
28. Allow the food on fire for a period of twenty minutes
29. After twenty minutes, your food is ready.

Cooking Process of the plantains

1. Clean your plantains
2. Slice into small quantities
3. Pour in oil on a frying pan
4. Begin throwing the plantains and turn each side after the other.
5. When all are ready, place in a clean plate.

Your Kwem is ready.

Enjoy your meal