Cameroon – Dahyi and Contri Red Soup

by Nghonazie Annabel

Dahyi is a traditional meal common in the North West region of Cameroon and frequently prepared by the people of bamungo in the ngoketunjia division of North West region of Cameroon. Dahyi is also widely prepared by many other villages in the aforementioned region but the accompaniment they use to eat dahyi is what makes the difference. Like for example the bamunka people eat dahyi with bamunka soup and bonga fish, the people of bafanji eat dahyi with groundnut soup, the people of bamali eats dahyi with bitter leave soup etc. Now dahyi and country red soup is a typical traditional dish of the people of bamungo. This country red soup is composed of red oil, dry tilapia fish, dry sardine fish and sometimes meat or traditional chicken which is optional. Dahyi on the other hand is pounded cocoyams made with rather Ibo coco yams and a type of coco yams called matang coco. Dahyi looks more like achu but it is hard as little or no water is used during pounding. Dahyi is a very cheap and economical dish reasons it’s prepared almost every day in the areas that likes it or has it as their traditional meal. It is easy to prepare and even grandmothers don’t find it difficult preparing it as they love it so much. People who love this meal also prepare it where ever they are be it internationally or nationally, this is to hold on to their cultural heritage

Cooking method

Dahyi is prepared by boiling the coco yams and pounding using a wooden mortar and a pistle while country red soup is prepared by boiling

Cooking ingredients

• Ibo coco yams and matang coco
• Dry tilapia fish
• Dry sardine fish
• Contri fowl (optional)
• Palm oil
• Maggi and salt
• Conti onions
• Black pepper

Cooking procedure

• Select the ibo coco and matang coco and wash, arrange in a pot and pour a liter of water cover the pot and put on the fire
• Allow to cook well until it’s ready. The cooking time is approximately two hours
• When it’s ready, remove small quantities at a time and peel. Put in the mortar and pound using a mortar pistle. When it is well pounded remove and put in a dish. Repeat the process until all the coco yams is finish
• When all the cocoyam have been pounded, remove and arrange into rounded forms and wrap in plantain leaves
• Now put red palm oil in a put and put on the fire. When it’s slightly hot add the dry tilapia, country fowl and dry sardine and stir. Add a bit of water and allow to boil for 10 minutes
• Add the country onions and black pepper and stir. Allow to boil for another 15 minutes, add Maggi and salt and stir
• Contry red soup is ready, put in a plate and save alongside the dahyi and eat with a bottle of water by the side because dahyi is somehow hard so it is advised to drink water while eating.
• Enjoy your meal