Cameroonian Cuisine: 10 Iconic Dishes

Cameroonian cuisine is among the most diverse in Central Africa: the country brings together more than 250 ethnic groups, each with its own specialties. Here are ten dishes that give a glimpse of this diversity, from the coast to the north of the country, useful for finding your bearings before cooking or ordering the ingredients in France.

1. Ndolé, the Sauce of the Sawa Peoples

Ndolé is a bitter leaf sauce (Vernonia amygdalina and related species), simmered with crushed peanuts, dried shrimp, smoked fish and meat. Originating from the Cameroonian coast, among the Sawa peoples (Douala, Bassa), it spread from Douala until it became, over time, the dish most associated with the country as a whole. See the ndolé recipe.

2. Eru, the Soup of the Bayangi People

Eru is a soup of eru leaves (okok, Gnetum africanum) and waterleaf, simmered with meat, smoked fish and palm oil. It is the specialty of the Bayangi people, in the Manyu department, in southwestern Cameroon. See the eru recipe.

3. Mbongo Tchobi, the Black Sauce of the Bassa People

Mbongo tchobi is a fish or meat stew simmered in a sauce with a characteristic black color, obtained from roasted then crushed forest seeds and barks, including njansang. It is a tradition of the Bassa people, in the Littoral region. See the mbongo tchobi recipe.

4. Poulet DG, an Urban Dish Born in the 1980s

Poulet DG (for directeur général, meaning general manager) combines fried chicken with sliced and pre-fried plantains, as well as vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, green beans) simmered in a tomato sauce. The dish appeared in the 1980s and was then reserved for people of a certain social standing, hence its name.

5. Koki, Bean Pâté Cooked in a Banana Leaf

Koki is a black-eyed pea paste, blended with red palm oil and spices, then steamed in a banana leaf. See the koki recipe.

6. Bobolo and Miondo, Two Sticks of Fermented Cassava

Bobolo and miondo are both made from pounded then fermented cassava, wrapped in a leaf and steamed into a cylinder shape. Bobolo, thicker and firmer, is an Ewondo (Beti) preparation, also called ndeng among the Eton; miondo, thinner and softer, is a specialty of the coast, among the Douala and the Sawa peoples. See the bobolo recipe and the miondo recipe.

7. Soya, the Spiced Meat Skewer

Soya is a marinated meat (beef, chicken or mutton), grilled on a skewer and served with spices called kankan. The dish comes from the Hausa tradition of northern Cameroon, where it is sold by the roadside; the same preparation is found, under the name suya, in Nigeria, Niger and Ghana.

8. Folon, Amaranth Leaves in Red Oil

Folon (or folong) is an amaranth leaf (Amaranthus viridis), sautéed in red palm oil, often with dried fish. It is distinct from ndolé (bitter leaf) and eru (Gnetum africanum): three different leafy greens, sometimes confused with each other.

9. Djoumblé Sauce, with Dried Okra

Djoumblé is dried okra, crushed then simmered into a stringy sauce with meat, smoked fish and red palm oil. See the djoumblé sauce recipe and CATALEYA djoumblé.

10. Beignets Haricots Bouillie, the Classic Breakfast

This breakfast trio combines fried black-eyed pea paste fritters, a cereal porridge (millet or corn) and sometimes a spicy sauce. See the beignets haricots bouillie recipe.

Where to Find Cameroonian Ingredients in France?

NKOSI sells on nkosiagro.com several ingredients for these Cameroonian recipes, including dried ndolé leaves, whole akpi (djansang) and red palm oil, in its Cameroonian cuisine collection.