Achu & Yellow Soup/ Le Taro et Sauce Jaune
Bamenda, also known as Abakwa, is the capital city of the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Bamenda is one of the hubs that contributes to the cultural diversity of Cameroon. It is the home of over thirty enthic groups and the production center of the Cameroonian National Cloth called Toghu. Bamenda is also known for its rich traditional dishes that add to the culinary brand of Cameroon. One of such dishes is Achu. A dish that is commonly referred to as “One Finger” and the “Food for Kings”. Achu is made using cocoyams which is pounded into fufu and eaten with a traditional yellow soup made from a combination of African indigenious spices and meat stock that gives the soup a strong unique aroma. Achu is the dish to prepare when visiting traditional rulers (Chief/King) from the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Hence the name “Food for Kings”.
For many years, I sat next to my late grandmother and watched her pound cocoyams and combined spices as she prepared Achu and the yellow soup. Preparing Achu can be a laborious process. I must confess that Achu has been one of those traditional dishes that I had the least interest in cooking. However, my perception changed when I moved from Cameroon to the USA. The craving for my grandmother’s Achu prompted me to start applying the culinary knowledge I learned from her with the hope to replicate her Achu recipe. My first attempt at cooking Achu in the USA was in 2018. The outcome was “I ate Achu”. It was nothing close to that of my grandmother. I knew something was lacking. It was the absence of the aroma from the Achu soup spices. Here in the USA, Achu soup spices are commonly sold as a blend. The challenges when using the blend are, it may not contain all the indigenious spices and secondly, the spices may lose their aroma during the blending process and shelf life. After experiencing these challenges, I began to research about the individual Achu soup spices and once I was able to identify the species and to know that some of them are available in African grocery stores in the USA, I became so excited. I purchased some and the rest were sent to me from Cameroon. Since I began to use these spices to cook the Achu soup. I am proud of myself for changing my own narrative from “I Can’t” to “ I Can Cook my Grandmother’s Achu”. With the availability of high-tech kitchen tools, I can now cook Achu anytime in no time.
Traditionally, in the days of our forefathers, when there were no plates, Achu was served on treated plantains or banana leaves. The leaves were then placed on the floor. It was believed that by placing the leaves on the floor, gravity will prevent the leaves from sliding and the food will be stable when eating. Achu is best enjoyed as a balanced diet when served with steamed leafy vegetables, mushroom room, garden eggs, meat, egusi pudding and with some palm wine. The soft Achu fufu in combination with the lingering heat and the strong aroma from the spices in the yellow soup will make your mouth water. The crunchiness of the steam veggies and the proteins gives the dish a balanced texture.
Click play on the video below to cook along with me or scroll past the video to follow the written instructions.
Dish: Achu & Yellow Soup/ Le Taro et Sauce Jaune
Country: Cameroon
Geographic Location: Northwest Region
Ethnic Group: The Northwesterners of Cameroon
Ingredients for Achu Fufu
a. 1 Tuber of Mami Cocoyam
b. 2Lbs Igbo Cocoyams
Ingredients for Achu Soup
c. 2 Cups Palm Oil
d. 1Lb Cow Skin
e. 1Lb Smoked Meat
f. 2 Habanero Pepper
g. Kanwa/LimeStone (Thumb Size)
h. Salt
i. Bouillon
Achu Spices
k. 2 Alligator Pepper
n. 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
o. 3 Country Onion
q. 2 Bambala Groundnut
s. 2 Pieces of Sweet Root
t. Country Carrot (Size of an Index Finger)
u. 2 Thumb Size Pieces of Four Corner Spice
Ingredients for Achu Sides
v. 1 Lb Steamed Spinach or Country Njama Njama (African Nightshades)
w. ½ Lb Steamed Mushrooms
x. ½ Lb Steamed Garden Eggs (Njakatu)
How To Prepare Achu
1. Thoroughly wash the cocoyams and place them into a pot. Add water to reach the same level of the cocoyams in the pot and cook on medium heat until it's done then turn the stove to warm.
Note it’s important for the cocoyams to stay warm for pounding or blending.
2. Carefully peel the skin off the cocoyams and transfer them into the food processor. Blend the cocoyams until it's soft then transfer it into a bowl. Mix the blended cocoyam (Achu) by folding inward until it forms into a mold then set aside.
Note: Traditionally Achu is made by pounding the cocoyams in a mortar. An alternative and faster method is using the food processor.
How To Prepare Achu Spice Mix
3. Roast the Achu spices on a frying pan on low heat for 10 minutes to release the essential oils then set aside to cool.
4. Blend the dry spices and sieve it into a clean bowl then set aside. Note. Add water into the blender if needed and sieve it to remove the unblended particles. Set aside the spice liquid for a later use.
Heat Achu spices.
How To Prepare Achu Soup
5. Thoroughly wash the cow skin and place it into a pot with the dried meat. Add about 1 and ½ liters of water into the pot, then add salt, maggie, and pepper and allow to cook on medium until when the cow skin and meat are 70% cooked. Add the prepared achu spice mix into the pot. Mix well then allow to cook on low heat until the cow skin is cooked to your desired texture then turn off the stove.
6. Place the Kanwa/Limestone in ½ cup of water and set it aside to dissolve.
7. Pour the palm oil into a pot and place it on the stove. Heat up the palm oil on low heat for 5 minutes and then turn off the stove.
Note: Be vigilant while the oil heats up to prevent the occurrence of oil combustion.
8. Slowly pour in the dissolved Kanwa solution into the palm oil. Be careful not to add the undissolved kanwa residue.
Pour dissolved Kanwa/Limestone into palm oil.
9. Add the palm oil and Kanwa solution into the pot containing the cooked cow skin and dried meat then mix well. Transfer the cowskin and meat into a clean pot or bowl of the same size and set aside.
10. Pour the stock into a blender and blend until the colors of the stock changes to yellow to form the Achu soup. If the Achu soup is light, add small amounts of the Achu fufu into the blender and blend to thicken the soup to your desired consistency.
11. Pour the Achu soup into the clean pot containing the cowskin and meat and the mix well.
How To Serve Achu Soup
12. Scoop about 1 ½ of the Achu fufu on a plate. Mold the Achu fufu into a cone shape and then make a well in the middle.
13. Add the Achu soup into the well of the Achu Fufu.
14 .Serve alongside cow skin, the meat, and the steamed vegetables, mushroom and garden eggs.
15. To enjoy this dish, wash your hands thoroughly then use your index finger to scoop the Achu fufu in a circular motion then place it into the soup in the middle. This act of eating this delicious dish gives it a unique characteristics of why the dish is commonly referred to as “One finger goes round the world and lands in the middle!”
Enjoying Achu Soup at home in Cameroon!
