Achu is the traditional meal of a number of villages in the North West region of Cameroon. It is the specialty of the Bamenda people and is made with pounded cocoyam (taro). The achu is typically served with yellow soup, also known as Ndza Nikki. In French, of course, yellow soup is called ‘sauce jaune’ so the dish is Achu avec Sauce Jaune. As a variant achu can also be made from a blend of unripe bananas (known as achu banana and large cocoyam corms)
Prep time: 15 minutes/Cook time: 30 minutes/Serves: 8
Ingredients:
For the Achu Soup:
1.5kg (3 lbs) boiled meat/fish of choice (I usually use a blend of beef, goat, beef skin (canda), beef honeycomb tripe, and dry smoked/fried fish)
1l (4 cups) meat stock (from cooking the meat)
125ml (1/2 cup) red palm oil
2 tsp baking soda (or kanwa/nikki [potash])
2 tsp powdered achu spices
2-4 small seasoning cubes (Maggi), crumbled
Salt, to taste
1 scotch bonnet chilli
For the Achu:
2kg (4 lbs) small cocoyams (taro) corms
Method:
To prepare the achu soup: Heat the palm oil in a deep frying pan. As it heats up, combine all the ingredients (except the meat and meat stock) in a blender. Pulse until chopped then run the motor to yield a smooth paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Pour this mixture over your meat and fish and set aside for 20 minutes to marinate. If you are fried fish or dry-smoked fish strip the meat from the bones then break into pieces and add to the marinade.
Place the meat and marinade in a pan, cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes. Remove the pieces of meat and fish with a slotted spoon and add to the red palm oil. Fry for about 5 minutes until nicely coloured. Now stir in the meat and fish stock, cooking for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the achu. Wash the cocoyams and place in a pot with skin on. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cocoyams are soft and the skin comes off easily.
While the cocoyams are still warm, peel and process to a paste in a food processor. Traditionally, they are pounded in a mortar but a food processor is much less work! When the cocoyams are processed, transfer to a serving bowl and serve. You could also wrap the achu into lumps using warmed banana leaves or aluminium foil and steam for 40 minutes until firm.
Serve the ndza nikka with the achu.
