Cameroon – Naangtarre

by Nghonazie Annabel

Naangtarre is meal gotten from cocoyam and palm oil. Naangtarre as most people call it is a delicacy to the people of the North West region of Cameroon precisely the inhabitants of the metah and mankon clan. Some people call this dish turning coco while others call it naangtarre. There is heavy indulgement in the cultivation of cocoyam in the North West region so this meal is so common because of the abundance of coco yams in these areas. Coupled with the fertile soul and availability of coco yams seedlings, north westerners do not relent their efforts in cultivating cocoyams. To make the dish more delicious and pleasant to the eyes, washed bitter leaves is added to the cocoyam which also increases the nutritive value of this dish. Some people prefer it when the bitter leaves added to the coco yams still has some bitter taste.

Cooking method

Naangtarre is prepared by boiling

Ingredients

• 20 healthy coco yams
• A bundle of washed bitter leaves
• 1 tbsp. ground country onions (roundel)
• 1 tbsp. quatre cote
• ½ tbsp. bush pepper
• Smoked fish
• A good quantity of cow meat and goat meat
• 1 liter of palm oil
• 3 fresh red Cameroon pepper
• Maggi and salt to taste

Cooking process

1. Peel wash and cut cocoyams into desirable sizes
2. Put the coco yams into a pot and add water to cover up the cocoyams
3. Bring the coco yams to the boil and allow to boil for 10 minutes
4. Add all the ground spices, cow meat, goat meat, red pepper, Maggi and salt
5. Put oil into the pot and mix well
6. Allow to cook for 30 minutes again
7. Add washed bitter leaves and add water if the quantity has reduced
8. Allow to cook for an hour to ensure that the cocoyams and the meat gets properly cooked.
9. Stir the mixture well and make sure it doesn’t get burnt
10. Boom your delicious naangtarre is ready
11. Remove from the fire and serve in a plate
12. Allow to cold a little and you can now enjoy your meal with a bottle of cold water by your side

Enjoy naangtarre and crave for more. It’s even sweeter when oil gets right into the pieces of coco yams indicating that it has been well cooked. Bonne appetite.