Douala, Cameroon – Ndole and White Yams

By Verdzekov Bernard and the Douala people of Cameroon

Cameroon is one of the countries in Africa with so many tribes that practice different traditions and that have different cuisines. I wrote on one of the cuisines of the Nso people, one the tribes in Cameroon and it was validated by finmail. Thanks to the team. I will be writing on another cuisine but this time, it will be that of the Douala people. Actually, I am capable of preparing this dish too and many more dishes and I will do my best to make sure for who so ever reads this will be cable of preparing this dish too. Douala is one the largest towns in Cameroon and it is where most of the economic activities take place in Cameroon. This makes people from different areas or parts of Cameroon to visit Douala. This traditional dish which I am about to explain below is tasteful and highly nutritional. When you hear of cuisine, the first think that should come to mind is that it is a traditional cooking habit often related to a particular tradition, tribe or people and that, they use local or traditional ingredients to come up with the wonderful tasteful meal.

To prepare Ndole, the ingredients you should consider are;

• Bitter-leaf
• Peeled groundnuts
• Meats
• Cray fish
• White papper
• Green spices
• Piro
• Pivon
• Galic
• Ginger
• Magi
• Salt
• Groundnut oil
• Curry power (for more taste and flavor)
• Onions
• Dry fish.

Note: As for the specific quantities of the ingredient you should buy or put together before preparation, it will depend on the individuals. But if in any way you need me too, you could email me and I work out a perfect quantity that you and your family may be able to eat after it is being prepared.

PROCESS

• Wash bitter-leaf and chop it or cut with a knife into smaller pieces of bitter leaf. Make sure you wash the bitter leave so well. This is to make sure the bitter taste is removed or doesn’t taste bitter again.
• Boil your groundnut for like 15min remove wash and put in a bowl. Then in that same bowl, you can add your green spices, piro, pivon, onions, white papper, galic, ginger then you put in your grinding-machine and grind all together.
• Boil meet with about 2 cubs of magi and a bit of salt to taste for about 30min.
• Into the boiled meat, add the grind groundnut and the rest of the spices you grind into the pot of boiled meat and allow it to cook for about 25-30min. This is to make sure it cooks well.
• Put the washed bitter leaf into the pot of sliced meet and cooked groundnut and spices, steer it well and add your dry scattered fish into the pot. Add 2 cubs of magi and a-bit of salt. Add crayfish into the pot too and then steer so well for about 1-2min then cover your pot and leave it to cook for about 20min.
• Open pot and add half cup of water after which you add curry powder into the pot and steer well again.
• Put groundnut oil into fry pan and leave it to get hot.
• Take 2 bulbs of sliced onion scales and put into in to the fry pan with the groundnut oil and leave it to fry. When it is ready pour the onions together with the oil all into the already cooked Ndole. (this time it is no longer bitter leaf, but Ndole).
• At this point, the process for the preparation of Ndole is completed. It could be served or put in a heat preservative flask while you prepare white yams to eat with.

To prepare white yams, it’s easy. All you need to do is to boil the yams. No stress. Slice your yams into presentable or good shapes. Peel its skin of and wash well. Put into a pot and add water to it. Apply some salt to taste then you put it on heat (gas cooker or the three stone fire side) leave it to boil for about 25-30min. Observe to make sure it is not to soft. Remove and serve with Ndole when it is ready.

This can still be served with boiled ripe plantains as well as fried ripe plantains. It depends on choice.