Cameroon – Nkumnkum and Groundnut-okro Soup

by Nghonazie Annabel

Nkumnkum is cassava flour gotten from grinding dry cassava. To realize this cassava flour, fresh cassava is peeled, washed, cut into smaller pieces and dried in the sun. Most people spread these pieces of cassava on sheets of zinc and place either on flower beds with fat surfaces or on flat tables outside the yard for sun to dry it faster. It is stirred regularly so that all the sides can get dry. When it’s dry, which can take 5-7 days to get dry depending on the position where it was spread and the amount of sun reaching it, it is taken to a grinding mill and ground. It is stored in buckets and bags and well covered because if exposed it can easily get bad. Nkumnkum is a typical meal of the people of the south west and center region of Cameroon since these group of people cultivate cassava on a large scale. Nkumnkum is eaten with okro-groundnut soup. Groundnut –okro soup is a type of slim soup composed of okro and groundnut soup. Here the groundnut soup is prepared normally and okro added to it. So nkumnkum and okro-groundnut soup is a delicacy which is loved by most people as they term it easy to swallow food.

Cooking method

Nkumnkum and okro-groundnut soup is prepared by boiling and stewing.

Cooking ingredients

• Fresh okro
• Groundnuts
• Fresh tomatoes
• Onions
• Green spices
• Fresh mackerel fish
• Crayfish
• Garlic
• Groundnut oil
• Pepper
• Maggi and salt to taste
• Cassava flour

Cooking process

• Wash the mackerel fish, arrange , salt and fry and keep aside
• Fry groundnut and ground and keep aside
• Slice tomatoes, onions and green spices and keep aside
• Grind garlic, some of the onions and green spices and keep aside
• Slice okro and pound in a mortar and put aside
• Put groundnut oil in a pot, when it’s hot add the sliced tomatoes, onions and part of the green spices and fry
• Stir until it is well fried
• Add the ground groundnut to the content of the pot and fry until its smooth
• Add water and allow to boil for 10 minutes
• Add grind spices, fish , crayfish, maggi and salt and stir
• Add the remaining sliced green spices, hot pepper and the pounded okro and stir
• Add water carefully, stir and allow to cook for another 15 minutes
• Taste to make sure everything is ok and remove and keep
• Put 4 liters of water in a pot and put on the fire, allow to boil to 100 degree
• Remove some of the water and put in a flask. Add the cassava flour and stir using a wooden kitchen stick
• Turn continuously until its smooth
• If its strong, add some more water and turn well until smooth
• Remove and tire in plastic rappens
• put the nkumnkum in a plate and groundnut-okro soup in a bowl and serve it hot

Good appetite and don’t forget to drink water after your meal