Ndole – An aromatic Cameroonian spinach stew made of spinach and bitter leaves – flavored with garlic, crayfish and fortified with shrimp and beef. Comfort food at its best.
At the top of my favorite Cameroonian dishes is Ndole. Oh yes! A dish I learned to cook from my childhood friend Lawrence, who is an amazing cook.
If you attend a Cameroonian party it is always present and when cooked properly flies off the table. You know why?
It is absolutely irresistible!!!
A combination of peanuts, bitter leaves (substitute spinach), meat (stock fish, shrimp,) crayfish (dried shrimp) and oil. It tastes like stew spinach dip, but even better! With aromatic spices and meat. Can be prepared in so many ways with more or less vegetables and meat depending on personal taste.
If I could eat this every day I would, It is rich, high in calories and loved by many. Often referred to as the national dish of my home country Cameroon.
For my health conscious peeps; cut back on the the oil and peanuts. And go heavy on the spinach. (If you are watching your waistline.)
If using fresh spinach, wash the leaves well, rinse properly and then chop the spinach and blanch for 2 minutes. Frozen chopped spinach works just as well. If you can’t get a hold of bitter leaves then by all means use spinach.
Bitter leaf is one of those vegetables that can be cultivated anywhere as oppose to certain vegetables that can only flourish in certain temperatures and places.
So if you are a gardener you can plant it and enjoy fresh bitter leaf anywhere you are. True to its name, bitter leaf is very bitter. You have to wash it (rubbing the leaves together) thoroughly before cooking till most of the bitterness is gone. Using carbonated soda can also aid in this process.
Notes
- If using dry bitter leaves soak overnight and cook for 15 minutes using 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda. Rinse thoroughly and drain.
- You can use any combination of the meat. More or less according to preference
- Dry Crayfish can be bought in African Stores and if you are lucky you can get some at hispanic or asian markets. It is still delicious without it.
- Soak stockfish overnight to help tenderize the fish
- This dish is best with its time-honored mate, Miondo/Bobolo (fermented cassava) or how my niece calls it “bobolow” and is exciting in the company of Plantains (boiled or fried).
Ndole ( Spinach/ Bitterleaves and Peanut Soup)
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Maggi ( Bouillon)
- 1 large Onion ( sliced)
- 1 pound (about 2 cups )Groundnuts/Peanuts(Skinless)
- 1/2 pound shrimp
- 1/2 pound stockfish
- 1/2- 1 pound Stew beef (cut in chunks
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup Crayfish (ground)
- 3/4 -1 pound Washed bitterleaves (sub frozen spinach)
- 2-3 cups oil
Instructions
- In a large pan season meat with salt, maggi and onions and boil until tender depending on the choice of meat. Meanwhile, boil stock fish with salt and water; add it to the boiled meat. You should have about 3 cups of stock from the meat and stock fish. Reserve the rest or freeze it.
- Boil peanuts for about 10 minutes in a sauce pan. Let it cool and blend/pulse in a food processor or blender into a fine consistency use water to facilitate the blending .Add to the mixture of beef and stockfish.
- Blend one onion and garlic into a fine paste and add to the mixture of peanuts and meat.
- Pour in the crayfish and let it simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently to prevent burns. Season with salt and Maggi. You might have to add more later
- Add the bitter leaves or spinach to the pot. Stir and simmer for several minutes more
- While the pot of ndole is simmering, heat oil in a fry pan or, preferably a cast iron. Add the shrimp, stirring constantly until they just turn pink. Slice and add the remaining onions stir for a few more minutes.
- Finally incorporate the mixture of shrimp, onions and oil into the pot of Ndole. Stir for a few minutes and serve hot with any of the sides mentioned above.
Ida N says
Hi. So I tried the recipe. Turned out good but I may have put too much peanuts. Thankfully I had some spinach to add on top of bitter leaves. Does the 2 pounds refer to the grinder peanuts or raw state? Just want to know for next time when I make it.
Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi dear! I am glad this worked out for you an that you knew how to improvise :). So next time, use 1 pound (2 cups) of raw unground peanuts. Happy cooking!
Maria says
What an amazing webpage! I’m so stoked that I found this gem.
I also have a question: Does it need to be fresh peanuts or could it be done with peanut butter instead to facilitate preparation process? Many thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Maria. Welcome to my Blog! So excited to have you here 🙂 !
For this recipe, I am afraid fresh peanuts are a must. That is what gives it its authentic taste! Do let me know how this turns out for you. Happy cooking!!
Shar says
I’m definitely going to try this. I’ve been looking for this recipe for sometime now. Well this one and another one I think called Jamma Jamma. I don’t know if I’m saying it right. When my ex-husband made it, it was so good. That man can cook. Anywho, I’m definitely going to try it and get back to you.
imma africanbites says
Yes, please. I would love to hear how this one turned out for you. Thank you.
Jennifer Muniu says
What is stockfish? When i google it, it says cod. Cant wait to try.
ImmaculateBites says
It’s dried cod fish. Omit if it’s not readily available .
Jennifer Muniu says
Thank you!
Lily says
Hi Jenny!
Julie T says
This recipe is amazing! I made it for my husband (he’s Cameroonian) and he did a happy dance and declared it “restaurant-grade ndole”! 😀
imma africanbites says
Awesome! Thank you for that wonderful feedback. 🙂
Osa says
You want to aim for Grannie or Mama grade Ndolé. That’s the gold standard Keep it up though.
Sarah says
Non-African who is trying her hand at new foods from different countries. I tried preparing this recipe and while it tasted delicious, the dried bitter-leaf I used stayed very stringy and in a tangled mass in the stew pot. I followed the instructions for soaking and boiling with bicarbonate soda- any other tips for getting the bitter leaf to incorporate into the dish more evenly?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sarah, sorry to hear about this. This is what I would do , slightly pulse the bitterleaf in a food processor after soaking in water, to shredd it before washing , it would help prevent the tangled mass in the pot. Hope this helps
Rich M. says
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! My local African store has both smoked and unsmoked dried fish. Which would you recommend? Thanks very much!
imma africanbites says
I would perhaps go with with smoked one, but either of those two is fine.
Mary says
I’ve been looking for an Ndole recipe for a long time. Can you make a video of you making it.
Thanks so much!
imma africanbites says
I’ll add this to my list. Thanks for stopping by.
hubert says
serves 15
Rainer says
How much is one serving of Ndole?
hubert says
serves 15
Michelle says
I just wanted to say that your Ndole recipe is Sooo GOOD! I have made this twice, doubled the amount the 2nd time, and froze them in small containers. I used smoked turkey legs, but I omitted the crayfish, and this dish was still the BOMB! I also ate this for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes for dinner, along with the plantains I cooked.
imma africanbites says
**Happy Dance** Glad you love it, Michelle, as much as I do. What a great pairing you have – Ndole and plantains. So drool-worthy!
Gerald K says
Hi Imma,
Can spinach be used together with dry bitterleaf?, as fresh one is hardly available around.
Regards,
Gerald
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Gerald,
Yes, I use it all the time-Half and half . I tried it with spinach only as it still taste good , without the bitter taste . Happy Cooking !!
tamara says
I also live in Maryland and I visit stores that carry a lot of African products. If I am looking in the freezer department will the bitter leaves be labeled “bitter leaves” or do they have another name? Also what is stockfish – is this dried or fresh fish?
Many thanks. Looking forward to trying this.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes they will. Stock fish is un salted dried fish. You have to soak it over night before cooking .
Heather says
I read a great book about the healthfulness of traditional diets and it mentioned the Cameroonian diet so I was curious to try some. I can’t believe I’ve lived so long without Cameroonian food! This Ndole recipe was my very favorite (and my husband loved it too!) I did reduce the oil a bit, but still wonderful.
I also tried your African Pepper Sauce, Red Red, and Tatale recipes. (Also the Pork Chops with Mango Salsa and Stuffed Baked Plantains). Everything was wonderful. Thanks so much for the great recipes. I can’t wait to try more!
ImmaculateBites says
OH WOW! Thanks for giving trying out my recipes .I totally dig ndole too! Sooo Full of flavor, can’t seem to get enough of it .
So kind of you to take the time out to share your thoughts with me.
Johanna Elsemore says
I’m excited to make this lovely dish, but a couple of my dining companions do not eat beef. What would your recommendation be? Would you use a replacement, or simply omit?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Johana! I would go with go with chicken- I actually prefer chicken over beef. Or such omit completely and double the shrimp. Do let me know how it works out for you . Thanks!