Soya (Beef on Skewers)

Soya is finely sliced meat on skewers and it was popularized by the Haoussa from Northern provinces of Cameroon. To this day, it is still one of the best dishes you will enjoy there. You will find hundreds of young men grilling the meat along the streets of Yaounde and Douala, the two largest cities. They gather their stands starting at 6 PM - never  earlier even though most people will gladly eat soya for lunch or breakfast (I know I'll do it). The feast lasts until 12 AM or even later with the music from pubs and bars setting the tone for the night. Even vegetarians enjoy that open-air party. We do have grills outside my dormitory but sometimes it is too hot outside to stand next to a grill. I decided to have the party indoor and it was quite entertaining with the fire alarm going off every time the oven door was open. I guess I successfully recreated the ambiance of the streets of Yaounde because soya is always enjoyed with some loud music around whether from bars or from a fire alarm. I still don't know what seasoning they used on the soya but I was willing to figure something out using my memories. 

P.S: In the US, we always add veggies on the skewers but soya is just meat. I added some dices of red bell peppers for color only.

Ingredients

Beef (tender meat)

Nutmeg

Vegetable oil (or any kind you have)

Salt and black ground pepper

A brush

Skewers

How to ...

1. Thinly slice the beef and align them on skewers. 

2. Brush the meat with oil and season with a mixture  of salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg in a 1/2 : 1: 3 ratio. Don't be shy when seasoning the meat.

3. Grill them (I used the oven at 450 degrees) and brush with more oil to keep them moist.

4. Here is my best attempt. I have to add that it smelled and tasted amazing. 

Crepes

I once read about what makes a good post. For most people, it seems like contextualizing the dish wins the audience. Well, there is not really a context for my crepes. I felt like having crepes this day and thus made them. I eat what I dreamed about. I am sometimes compelled to go to the store late at night because I have an urge (not a craving). It is more like the light goes on in your head and you picture the perfect meal for your breakfast tomorrow. What does this have to do with crepes? Well they were my picture perfect desert for this day and I wanted to share it with you.

Ingredients

2/3 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of fat free half-and-half

2 eggs

Pinch of salt

Pinch of white sugar

Non-stick cooking spray

1 tbsp of oil

How to ...

1. Mix all ingredients to obtain a smooth and running batter.

2. Heat a skillet and spray it with some cooking spray.

3. Pour a little more than 1/2 cup of batter onto the skillet and wait until the crepe can slide on the skillet to flip it.

4. Sprinkle some cocoa powder and serve with chocolate pudding or any topping of your choice but seriously, crepes and chocolate are a match made in the kitchen :-)

Tuna Salad

Tuna salad gets some bad publicity for having that mushy texture but it tastes amazing. Here is an improved version of my tuna salad. I used to make it simpler but adding tomatoes and red onions twists it at the perfect angle. There not much to say about it other than I like to make it the night before so it chills. In the morning, the salad tastes even better because flavors have had the chances to mix. You can use chunky tuna pieces if you really dislike the texture. I love it anyway because it's all about the flavor.

Ingredients

1 can of tuna in water (drained)

1/3 of red onion

1 large tomato

3 tbsps of sweet pickle relish

4 tbsps of fat free mayonnaise (tastes better than regular)

Bread

How to ...

1. Mix drained tuna with cubed tomato, diced onions, relish, and mayonnaise. 

2. Cool salad in fridge for 1 hour at least.

3. Serve on toasted french bread (my favorite).

10 minutes away from cornbread

One of my really good friend introduced me to cornbread. She is the one who loves to bake more than anything. She is away for the summer and I missed her cornbread muffins. I have not eaten a lot of cornbread but hers are UNBELIEVABLE. I got recipes from the internet and tried a couple but they were not as good as hers. I made some changes and got to a cornbread that is my pride and joy and it takes 10 minutes (the time to pre-heat your oven) for preparation.

Ingredients:

3/2 cup of cornmeal

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of fat free half-and-half
1 egg

1 tbsp of baking powder

1 tbsp of baking soda

1/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of lukewarm water

How to ...

1. Pre-heat oven (400 degrees).

2. Mix all dry ingredients then add the mixture of wet ingredients.

3. Do not over-mix the batter and pour in a greased baking dish.

4. Bake for 35 min.

Grilled Tilapia with Peanut Sauce

I went to the grocery store earlier today and there were very cheap proteins in the frozen meat section. I bought 1 pound of tilapia filet for 4 dollars and it was worth it. This recipe will take an hour of your day and you will have a delicious dinner before starting your homework. You may already have the spices in your pantry. If not, purchase them now and make great meals all the time. This is one recipe that will become a routine after your first attempt. Just try it.

Ingredients:

Tilapia filet (frozen will work)

Basil (dry or fresh)

Ginger roots (or powder)

Salt and black pepper

1 onion

Smooth peanut cream

1 tomato

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

How to …

1. In a blender, mix grossly cut onions (1/4), ginger root, garlic, and basil (if using fresh herbs). Blend with some vegetable oil. Add some salt and pepper to the mixture (if you like hot dishes, add some pepper flakes to your convenience). Marinate the fillet in the sauce for 5 minutes.

2. Spray a hot pan with some cooking spray and place your filet on the skillet. Turn the temperature down to allow the inside to cook as well and allow the filet to brown then turn to other side.

3. For the sauce, saute slices of remaining onion (3/4) with salt and black pepper in hot vegetable oil. Add tomatoes cubes and garlic to the browning onions and cook for 10 min.

4. Add 2 cups of water to the tomatoes and let it come to a boil. Add 3 spoonful of peanut butter and cook for 30 min (watch water level for the thickness of the sauce).

5. Dress the fish with the peanut sauce and voila.

Roasted Chicken with Plantains (aka Poulet DG)

This dish is going to impress your roommates and it is usually made for special guests in Cameroon and Ivory Coast. It is called poulet (which means chicken in French) DG because only people with higher social standing could afford it. DG (General Manager in French) is an allusion to that. However, it is no longer the case and several households can enjoy it. I made this affordable version for a couple of friends who could not go home for Thanksgiving. The cooking process is a little demanding to get the flavors right and you have to multi-task between the frying plantains and the chicken in the oven. Nevertheless, it is one of my favorite way to enjoy chicken and make something appetizing for a holiday dinner in the dorms.

Ingredients:

Chicken breast - pack of 6

Plantains (yellow or so) - 8

Onions - 2 (big)

Tomatoes - 4 (still firm)

Pepper (1 small - optional)

Fresh garlic (not the powder version) - as needed

Herb de Provence or Oregano leaves

Meat or Poultry seasoning (store bought)

Red and Green Bell peppers - 2 of each color

Carrots - 6 medium

Salt and black pepper

Vegetable oil (as needed)

How to …

1. Clean, salt and heavily spice chicken with black pepper. Cook it in water seasoned with salt and black pepper. Meanwhile…

2. Peal plantains and divide them in half vertically then vertically into semi thick cuts.

3. Cut bell peppers into cubes and carrots along the diagonal into thick cuts.

4. Cuts onions into very small cubes and sweat them into hot oil until lightly brown and add garlic. Add carrots and peppers and cook for 5 min. Add oregano leaves and herbs de provence with tomatoes and let cook for 10 to 15 min (or until tomatoes are no longer sweet).

5. Spice chicken with the spices and oil and put them in the oven to get grilled and brown. Wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil to preserve moisture. Add the sauce as the chicken is browning and let it marinate. Meanwhile ...

6. Fry the plantains and put them next to the chicken in the oven as they are getting out of the oil to keep them moist. Mix the sauce with the plantains and chicken and put on broil to crisp chicken. Make sure the veggies are not dry and there is enough oil in the baking dish.

Serve warm and enjoy!!!