Cameroon

Cameroon is known to offer some of the best food in Central Africa. The soil is fertile throughout the country, producing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Similar to other African cuisines, the staples of the Cameroonian diet are yams, cassava, plantains, beans and maize.

At meals, Cameroonians usually eat out of communal bowls using their right hands, as is the custom in many African countries. Because poultry and meat are relatively expensive, Cameroonians prefer fish. In fact, the Portuguese named the country for its abundance of shrimp, or “camarones.” The national dish is called ndolé, a bitterleaf soup made with peanuts and fish (usually cod) or goat meat. Sangah is another specialty, a simple dish made of maize, cassava leaf and palm oil. Food is typically seasoned with garlic, ginger, habanero and oil—palm oil in the north, sesame oil in the south.

Rice, boiled cassava and boiled plantains are commonly served as side dishes to complement the spicy taste of the main dish. These starchy foods are usually cooked and then pounded until they become sticky to create what is known as fufu. It is customary for Cameroonians to dip balls of fufu into hot flavorful sauces.

—Alexandra Menglide

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