Ndole

One of Cameroon’s signature dishes is Ndole.  

Ndole are bitter leaves, which are hard to find and expensive outside of Cameroon and Nigeria.  

People sometimes prepare Ndole with other greens, but if you don’t use the Ndole leaves, there’s really no point — it’s not the same!  

The leaves are blanched and squeezed dry several times to reduce  the bitterness.  They’re then cooked with a bit of palm or other oil, onions, garlic, chili peppers, ground peanuts, salt and pepper. 

Ndole, like many dishes, is often cooked over a wood fire, so it has a slight, smoky flavor that mixes deliciously with the bitterness of the leaves. 

Ndole is typically served with meat or fish and plantains (steamed or fried), miondo (fermented manioc paste wrapped and steamed in banana leaves) or rice.