Cameroonian Eru

Name: Cameroonian Eru
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 450 beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces; 300 cooked cow skin, rinsed and sliced; 200 smoked fish, bones removed and flaked; 3 1/8 water; 1.5 fine salt, divided; 250 fresh waterleaf or baby spinach, chopped; 150 fresh or thawed sliced eru leaves; 80 ground dried crayfish; 1 red palm oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic, minced; 1 Scotch bonnet chile, pierced; 1 ground white pepper; 900 prepared water fufu or garri, for serving

AuthorDanCategoryCameroon, Fish & Sea Food, Main CourseDifficultyIntermediate

A rich leafy stew with eru, waterleaf, smoked fish, crayfish and red palm oil.

Cameroonian eru with smoked fish and water fufu

Yields6 Servings

Prep Time30 minsCook Time1 hr 10 minsTotal Time1 hr 40 mins

Eru leaves are also sold as okok or sliced Gnetum in African markets. Waterleaf provides moisture; fresh spinach is a practical substitute. Keep the pot uncovered after adding the greens to preserve their color.

Meat, fish and stock

450 g beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces

300 g cooked cow skin, rinsed and sliced

200 g smoked fish, bones removed and flaked

3 ⅛ cups water

1.50 tsp fine salt, divided

Greens and seasoning

250 g fresh waterleaf or baby spinach, chopped

150 g fresh or thawed sliced eru leaves

80 g ground dried crayfish

1 cup red palm oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Scotch bonnet chile, pierced

1 tsp ground white pepper

900 g prepared water fufu or garri, for serving

Directions

Place the beef and cow skin in a heavy pot with the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 35 to 45 minutes, until the beef is tender.

Add the smoked fish and simmer gently for 5 minutes so it flavors the stock without breaking apart too much.

Stir in the onion, garlic, Scotch bonnet and white pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion softens and the broth smells aromatic.

Add the waterleaf or spinach in two batches, stirring each batch until wilted. Its moisture should loosen the mixture; add a small splash of water only if the pot looks dry.

Fold in the sliced eru leaves and ground crayfish. Stir thoroughly so the greens are evenly distributed through the meat and fish.

Pour in the palm oil and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the greens are tender and the oil no longer tastes raw.

Remove the Scotch bonnet for mild heat, or split it into the stew for more heat. Taste and add the remaining salt as needed.

Rest the eru for 5 minutes, then serve hot with prepared water fufu or garri.

Ingredients