Ndolè, The Emblematic Cameroonian Dish

Ndolè is a Cameroonian dish consisting of stewed nuts, Ndolè and fish or meat.

‘’Bitter Leaf’’ also known as ‘’Ndole’’ leaf in Cameroon or ‘’Ewuru’’ and ‘’Onugbu’’ in some parts of Nigeria is a well-known medicinal plant with several uses attributed to it apart from being a delicious dish. Ndole can be used to prevent and cure diabetes and can be used to lower fever and has recently been seen as non-pharmaceutical solution to persistent fever, headache and joint pain caused by AIDS.

I- How To Cook Ndolè

Ndolè is combined with fresh groundnuts, dry shrimps and other healthy ingredients like onions, white and black pepper. The dish may also contain shrimps or prawns. It is traditionally eaten with plantains, cocoyams, fufu corn, plantains, Bobolo and Miondo (a Cameroonian dish made or fermented ground cassava and wrapped leaves)

1- Ndolè

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

- 500 grams of   fresh of Bitter leaf washed

- 100 grams of dried shrimps

- 200 grams of fresh shrimps

- 250 grams of skinless peanuts

- 250 grams of smoked fish

- 250 grams of lean beef

- 8 garlic cloves

- ½ celery stem

- 6 parsley leaves

- 1 tsp. white pepper

- 1 chopped large onion

- 4 tsps. Vegetable oil

- 5 cloves

- Salt

- Pepper

Method

1- Slice and boil bitter leaves in a pot with bicarbonate soda until it partially loses is bitter taste

2- In a large pot season meat with salt, bouillon, and onions, then boil until tender

3- Boil stock fish; add it to the boiled meat. Get stock from the meat and stock fish and preserve for immediate cooking or freeze for later usage

4- Boil peanuts for about 10 minutes in another pot. Let it cool. Next, pulse in a food processor or blender into a coarse consistency using water to facilitate the blending process.

5- Now add beef and stockfish to peanut paste and boil for 10 minutes stirring in between to avoid clumps and burning

6- Blend onion, garlic, celery, parsley, and white pepper into a fine paste and add to the mixture of peanuts and meat

7- Add in part of your shrimps and let it simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently to prevent burns. Season with salt and bouillon

8- Add washed Ndolè, stir and simmer

9- In a small skillet or cooking pan, heat oil, add fresh shrimp, stirring constantly until they turn from white to pink. Then add the rest of your dried shrimps, onions, and stir-fry for more 2 minutes

10- Last but not least, add shrimps and onion mixture, into the pot of Ndolè and stir for 5 minutes

11- Serve hot with any side dish of choice