Kondres (Spicy Stewed Plantains)
Kondres (Spicy Stewed Plantains) – popular Cameroonian one-pot meal with highly-seasoned spicy stewed plantains, meat and veggies. Exotic, spicy and mouth-watering!
This is a very popular, exotic, highly spiced , Cameroonian one-pot-meal. It is widely known as Kondres and originated from the western part of Cameroon – specifically among the bamelieke tribe. To me, this is the ultimate African comfort food truly nurturing and delicious.
For the diet conscious, you may cut down on the oil. During my recent trip back home. I cringed as I watched one of my family members prepare this succulent plantain with tons of oil. I told myself I would come up with some excuse to not eat a whole plate.
Before I know it , I was asking for seconds and for leftovers to take home. People it is really that good.
The aromas wafting through the air would make you forget about dieting.
If you are abroad and can’t find all the ingredients – Don’t sweat it. You can still make a great tasting dish with the ingredients you have on hand- don’t be put off by the ingredient list
The actual preparation is simple and straight -forward. Boil meat, blend all the spice, and cook in a large pot with tons of water or broth. This concoction yields a rich savory sauce with tender meat and plantains. Since it is cooked for about 2 hours. The flavor s concentrates very nicely.
The basic ingredients are onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, parsley, basil, celery leaves, thyme, curry, white pepper, and black pepper. The supporting cast members a are njansa, country onion, bebe and have course scotch bonnet pepper for heat. Since my heat tolerance is low I used one small scotch bonnet pepper .Add and/or subtract to suite taste buds.
Kondres
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds boil meat cup up beef, oxtail, goat meat, chicken, pork
- 3- 4 pounds unripe or green plantains
- Njansa – 10
- 1 large onion
- 3 large tomatoes
- ¼ cup parsley
- ½ cup basil
- ¼ cup celery leaves
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 green onions
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 2 bebe optional
- ½ teaspoon country onion optional
- ½ - 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon bouillon powder or 2 Maggi cubes
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In Large saucepan boil meat seasoned with salt, and, onions until tender depending on the meat with plenty of water for stock. You can shorten this process in half by using a pressure cooker. Reserve stock
- Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain; peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back
- Cut the plantains into 2-3 pieces depending on size
- Chop the tomatoes, onions, green onions and place in a food processor or blender- add njansa, peeled pebe, garlic, basil, parsley, celery with a little bit of water -if using a blender to facilitate blending. Blend until puree.
- Heat up a large pot with oil, then add the tomatoes mixture, white pepper, curry, and meat with meat stock, bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Then add plantains, Maggi and/or stock / water (enough to cover the plantains)
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let it cook until the plantains is super tender about an hour or more. Add water as necessary to prevent burns.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
This tasted just like how my mum did in back in the day when I was just a little boy. I licked my plate clean haha. Thank you for sharing.
Aww! Thank you so much and I am glad you like it that much. Stay tuned and enjoy more recipes:)
I made this for my husband who has not had Kondres since he can to the uk 17 years ago. He was so happy. I’ve made him many of your recipes and his community are shocked that his English wife can cook Cameroonian food so well!! Thank you
Yayy, I am happy for you to thank you for sharing your story. Keep the love and support continue, and make your hubby happy with my amazing recipes.
I love all your recipes so much. Hey I just met a really cool Cameroonian woman and want to date her. How should I proceed. Have you put up the spice posts yet. I’m white I’m not sure if she will like me. I’m european too. Both my parents spoke French with her. She was selling clothes at an African dance festival. I got her number to buy more clothes
Hi Sebastian, I think she is going to love you. Who wouldn’t want a man that cooks? Share a meal with her. Haven’t put up the spice yet, hopefully soon.
Good Luck!
njansa and pebe. where to get…. amazon? looks scrumptious
No, not available at amazon. This would have to get from an African Market.
Thank you. This was helpful, my boyfriend is from Cameroon and I love to cook so I am learning how to cook all his favorite food. This recipe was very helpful.
Thanks so much
Glad it well out well for you. You are definitely going to find a bunch of Cameroon recipes here. So he will definitely be contented.Do let me know which ones you try out. Happy Cooking
I meant to give this 5 stars but clicked two on the last post
This turned out great!! My boyfriend suggested that next time I should add some peanuts.
Thank You so much for your help, Imma! I’m just a beginner and pretty clueless about spices. We just moved to the North Chicago area this week so I will venture out to see what stores I can find. You do a wonderful job with this food blog! Keep it up 🙂
Hi Imma, My boyfriend is from Cameroon and he only eats his food from home. His sisters have been trying to teach me how to cook but it’s hard for me because there are no measurements so your site has been a LIFESAVER!!!! Thank You Thank You!! I want to make Kondres today but I’m not sure what Njansa and Bebe are. Pictures of Njansa looks like chicken peas or garbanzo beans?? I’ll be on your site multiple times a day 🙂
Hi Ginny! Seems like you got your hands full. Am married to one and they sure love their home food. Njansa do look like garbanzo beans but they are not! And bebe goes under other different aliases – African nutmeg, ehuru. Check it out here http://africanbites.com/?p=10582 the one in front is Njansa and the one directly behind it is bebe. Hopefully you have all the ingredients at hand if not, they are hard to come by if you are in the U.S. Especially the Njansa, African nutmeg can be found in African and some caribbean markets. Let me know if you need any further assistance.
Made this today and I must confess it is so delicious. The spices are all tasted and comes together nicely in flavour. Well done again Imma. Another dish to add to my collection.
Happy to hear it is going in your recipe collection. It is one of my favorite plantain one pot meals. Thanks for the feed back debbie
Hi, thank you for tasty recipes. Tomorrow I’m gone make the kondres stew. I will make it without meat, I’m sure it will be good anyway. We are gone eat it on Friday, I want the flavors to come out. I just wonder he’s is najsa, bebe? Tried google it:)) Hope you can help me with that. Kind regards.
No Njansa is not bebe. Njansa is yellowish in color and bebe is the one with a hard protective shell. Am working on a series of post about spices stay tuned. Let me know if you have further questions
I am just wondering if there is a difference between this and your other recipe sese plaintain because i have made sese plaintain couple of times and loved it.
Yes, there is a huge difference . This one is loaded with spices and the flavor is AMAZING. Do try this kelsey you would love it too!
I think it’s a healthy recipe considering the ingredients. I’ll try this out sometime. keep up the good work.
Yes, it is healthy… compared to some of the recipes I have put up lately. Teekay, let me know how it works for you. Thanks for stopping by