Cameroon – Ndole and Ripe Plantains

by Nghonazie Annabel

Ndole and ripe plantains is a special delicacy prepared and eaten by almost all the inhabitants of Cameroon. Ndole is a very nutritive meal as it contains almost all the classes of food. Ndole gotten from washed bitter leaves and enough groundnuts and sometimes egussi for people who like to mix the two is very common in all the localities both the towns and villages in Cameroon because bitter leave is found almost in all corners of the country and even at the back of your compound as people always believe that it is very important to plant bitter leaves around the house. Bitter leave is a source of income to most women here in Cameroon as they wash and sell, some dry and package and its send out of the country. Majority of people who prepare ndole are those who buy already washed bitter leaves from the market as they believe that it’s difficult to wash the bitter leaves until its clean and proper for consumption. Ndole can be eaten with a wide range of accompaniments including white rice, dodo, unripe plantains, cassava, yams, coco yams, sweet potatoes as well as Irish potatoes.

Cooking method

Ndole is prepared by boiling and stewing.

Cooking ingredient

• Washed bitter leaves
• Ripe plantains
• Ground peeled groundnuts
• Meat
• Smoked fish
• Crayfish
• Groundnut oil
• White pepper, onions, green spices, green pepper, leaks, garlics, four corner
• Maggi and salt

Cooking process

1. Boil peeled groundnut until soft, remove and allow to cold and grind
2. Boil meat and fish and keep aside
3. Grind all the spices and keep
4. Slice part of the onions and keep
5. Peel plantains and boil on a different fire side
6. Put the ground groundnut in a pot and put on the fire. Stir the mixture continuously until the groundnut becomes creamy and oily. When much oil starts coming out during the boiling process this indicates that the groundnut is ready
7. Add the meat, fish, crayfish and the ground spices and stir well.
8. Put the washed bitter leave, using a wooden pistle stir well until the mixture is homogenous
9. Add maggi and salt
10. Allow to cook for 20 minutes
11. After 20 minutes, add groundnut oil and mix well
12. Add the sliced onions and stir
13. Remove the plantains from the fire and put in a flask
14. Remove the ndole and allow to cold
15. Ndole and ripe plantains is ready.
16. Save in a plate and eat it semi hot

Good appetite. Good food = good life