Cameroon Ndole (Bitterleaf casserole )
Cameroon Ndole! This rich , creamy casserole-like dish is a delicacy even in Cameroon. When this one is on the menu, I know we have some special guests coming over for lunch. On such days my mother will go to the local market at the crack of dawn, I’m talking 6 am early to buy some fresh sweet bitter leaf. And yes, SWEET BITTER leaves, the leaves are BITTER. The sweet here helps distinguish how much bitterness is in the variety you buy. Getting them edible is quite the task, hence the reason for this dish being considered a “special occasion ” meal. PREPARING BITTER LEAF FOR CAMEROON NDOLE First you remove the stem, then slice the leaves. Getting rid of that bitterness involves washing several times by rubbing between your palms. This produces a greenish foam which you rinse off. You repeat this process several times until the foam becomes white. At this point you taste for bitterness. Some of the bitterness will linger. Definitely not a taste for the impatient ones. We’re skipping all that though. Whenever I get to grow my own bitter leaf here, maybe we’ll revisit this process. Today however, I went to our local African store and bought some frozen bitter leaves from Cameroon. Pre-washed! Now how’s that for easy work? I will be telling a lie if I say i’ll rather have the fresh leaves. That is one task I’ll gladly pass on. You might be thinking how do these leaves become edible. Think about radicchio for a minute, or any other bitter leafy vegetable. With the right pairing these make some amazing salads. With bitter leaf, that creamy, spicy and flavor packed peanut sauce is what makes this dish amazing! Nutty and creamy with some heat.. I intentionally left out any peppers. Add a scotch bonnet or harbanero when blending the peanuts. My little one eats everything we eat, so I make pepper on the side quite a bit these days. Boiled ripe plantains is the best carb for Ndole. For me at least. That sweetness is what this rich traditional dish needs. Cameroon Ndole! If you go to a Cameroonian party in the Diaspora and Ndole is on the menu, you best believe your hosts care deeply. Deeply enough to go all out for their guests. Hope you get to try this one. Bitter leaf will likely be found at an African grocery store. Here is a store where you can buy fresh bitterleaf. You could maybe get some dehydrated bitter leaf online too but fresh bitter leaf is best.
