Njama njama et fufu corn
The huckleberry leaves and maize paste of the North-West
Aussi écrit : njama njama, djama djama, huckleberry, fufu corn, foufou de maïs, couscous de maïs
What is it?
Njama njama are the leaves of Solanum scabrum, a nightshade grown as a leaf vegetable, with a slightly bitter taste. Boiled, chopped and squeezed, they are sautéed in palm oil with tomato, onion and a whole chilli. The fufu corn served with them is a stiff paste of maize flour cooked in water.
Where does it come from?
- North-West — Origin
In French, "morelle noire" (black nightshade) covers a group of closely related species. The plant grown in Cameroon for its leaves is mainly Solanum scabrum, called huckleberry in Cameroonian English.
Main ingredients
- Solanum scabrum leaves (huckleberry)
- Palm oil
- Tomato, onion, chilli
- Maize flour, for the fufu corn
What to eat it with
Fufu corn, or else boiled or fried plantain; often served with kati kati.
Origin and tradition
One of the most widely eaten vegetables in Cameroon, especially in the North-West region. Wikipedia lists "fufu corn and njama njama" among the country's specialities; the plant is also grown and cooked, to a lesser extent, in Nigeria and Kenya.