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Home / Types / African / African Dinner

Njama Njama and FuFu

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Published:4/02/2021Updated:4/02/2021

Njama Njama and FuFu – popular green vegetable in Cameroon, especially in the North West Region and to a lesser extent in Nigeria and Kenya, seasoned with paprika, cayenne and a little kick from the habanero pepper. Paired with fufu corn for a complete satisfying meal.

Njama Njama and FuFu

Hey guys, let me tell you this, you know how some people eagerly wait for summer for the produce, vacations and warm weather.

Yes, that’s me. It is not the same with hubby; all he looks forward to is these leafy greens. Yep. He was raised on Njama Njama and fufu corn and guess what? He has been eating these greens almost everyday for the past two weeks. You think he would be sick of it by now but Nooooo…. He wants more. Someone help! Anyone???

 Fufu Corn and Njama Njama

Njama Njama (that’s how it is referred to in Cameroon) is  one of the most popular vegetables in Cameroon especially in the North West Region and to a lesser extent in Nigeria and Kenya- sometimes referred to as   African nightshade and huckleberry. Its scientific name is  Solanum scabrum. 

Here, in  the United States,  Huckleberry leaves are seasonal, they blossom this time of the year. So now is the best time to enjoy or get your hands on it. A good place to start would be the farmers market, ask the Asian farmers they sometimes do carry it. 

 Njama Njama and Fufu

Your best bet would be to grow it – it is highly nutritious and you can eat the stems and leaves too. They have a pleasant flavor and slightly bitter to taste. One farmer, in the farmers market mentioned that they drink the water from the boiled leaves for medicinal purposes in East and South East Asia.

 African Night Shade

If you cannot lay your hands on nightshade, these are good substitutes: Swiss chard they are UH-mazing – love it! Kale, or even spinach,  to be honest, this is what I use most of the time.

 Njama Njama and Fufu

There are several ways of making this vegetable stew- all you need is a few ingredients; onion, tomatoes, oil, and bouillon cubes (powder). If you want to make it more fancy you can add crayfish, smoked chicken, more seasonings  or even egusi. I made it very simple without all the other embellishments because that is how hubby likes it – rustic.

This exotic African stir fry  is usually paired with fufu corn (polenta) or some would refer to it as ugali a really bland yet filling starchy accompaniment to the vegetable. I included my version of making fu fu corn – there are several ways of making it. Let  me know if there is a better alternative (this is my weakness).

Enjoy!

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Njama Njama and FuFu

Njama Njama and FuFu - popular green vegetable in Cameroon, especially in the North West Region and to a lesser extent in Nigeria and Kenya, seasoned with paprika, cayenne and a little kick from the habanero pepper. Paired with fufu corn for a complete satisfying meal.
5 from 2 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
African
Servings 4 -5

Ingredients

Njama Njama

  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 5-6 fresh tomatoes chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 5 pounds Nightshade kale, water crest or 3 pounds frozen kale or spinach.
  • ½ -1 cup canola oil palm oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1- teaspoon paprika
  • ½ pound chopped smoked turkey/fish
  • 1- teaspoon paprika optional
  • 1- tablespoon bouillon powder or Maggie cube optional
  • 1-2 scotch bonnet or habanera pepper

Fufu Corn

  • 1 pound finely ground corn flour
  • 4-5 cups water.
  • 2 teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

Njama Njama

  • Blanche vegetables in hot water for until wilted – about 2-3 minutes. Remove and place in cold water to prevent the leaves from cooking further. Drain and squeeze out water from the vegetables. Set aside
  • Heat palm oil or canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot.
  • Add onions, lightly sauté onions until it is wilted about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper and bouillon, continue cooking
  • Scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. You may add these optional ingredients now, paprika, smoked turkey, cray fish or smoked fish and proceed with cooking, occasionally stirring for about 10 minutes.
  • Finally add vegetable , cook for about 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasonings and turn off the heat.
  • Salt lightly

Fufu Corn

  • Add about 4 cups of water to a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal and keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it comes to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes . You may add some more water if desired. Turn off the heat. Scoop out balls with a small bowl – shake and form a ball by roll it around. Or place on a saran wrap plastic (I have been told several times not to do this – health wise so be mindful of it).
Author: Immaculate Bites
Course: Main
Cuisine: African
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Comments & Reviews
  1. pauline Rennes-Atkins says

    Posted on 10/12 at 7:46AM

    you made Jamaican turn corn meal

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 10/15 at 8:34PM

      Lol. It does look alike.

      Reply
  2. Pauline says

    Posted on 10/12 at 7:44AM

    This is a typical JAMAICAN Callaloo dish. You can use salted fish instead of smoked meats unless you know how to smoke your meat yourself or buy from African stores

    Reply
  3. Lucas Justin says

    Posted on 7/10 at 4:58PM

    This type of depth of understanding is very rare these days!
    Upon reading merely two of your articles, I subscribed immediately.
    Mind you, I actually only subscribe to sites with genuinely
    amazing content such as this. The internet
    is usually packed with fake news, thanks for not really letting them in right
    her

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 7/11 at 4:37PM

      Thank you, Justin.

      Reply
  4. Stanley says

    Posted on 3/27 at 10:01PM

    This is my traditional food. I have introduced it to a Jamaican, Pakistani and English friends. Each time they have eaten it, they all gone wow, can I have more. I am from Bamenda and currently, there is war on-going which means I am unable to import my veg. In the past years, I had an allotment in UK where I grew this veg. Also, it is eaten in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Shared the seeds with my Bangladeshi friend and his grandma was very happy when she realised what they have been given. I have also been made to understand that, food eaten in Nso, Kumbo, Bui division is commonly eaten in Bangladesh and though may be cooked differently

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 3/29 at 11:58AM

      Oh WoW! That is good know. Who would have thought you could find Njama Njama in all these different parts of the world- it’s a small world we live in. Thanks for taking time out to share this with us.

      Reply
  5. Bernice Bamburak says

    Posted on 2/8 at 10:06AM

    I have been trying to replicate a dish they serve at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. It’s Poulet Friccasse and Jama Jama, which is basically chicken on a stick with a side of sauteed spinach. Extremely spicy sauce if you’d like. Recently I decide to do an African-Inspired Dinner Menu, and I found this njama njama recipe to my great delight! I believe what they serve at Jazz Fest must be derived from this originally. I made it last night and it was so wonderful! My husband ate the whole batch at once! THANK YOU!!

    Reply
    • Sam Kreamer says

      Posted on 5/7 at 8:43AM

      I too was introduced to this great green dish at Jazzfest. I actually had it twice.

      I’ll try the recipe with spinach (it’s hard to find the alternatives in Iowa).

      Reply
    • JaVonee says

      Posted on 6/24 at 1:17AM

      I was born and raised in New Orleans and this is too one of my favorite dishes

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 6/24 at 6:06AM

        This is Amazing!! I am so thrilled to know there is a version of this dish in New Orleans!! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
  6. Pam says

    Posted on 7/11 at 8:01AM

    My mom grow them every year. We used to sell them in the farmers markets here in the Minnesota twin city, but now we don’t anymore. We grew them for local customer pre-order only now. We have huckleberry greens, bitter leaves, water greens are in season now.

    Reply
  7. Tash says

    Posted on 5/24 at 3:49AM

    I love to make new foods from around the world, right now I have an itch to cook Kenyan food. I love these recipes and hope to see more traditional meals to make.

    Reply
    • imma africanbites says

      Posted on 5/24 at 6:25PM

      I love trying out new food , too , from around the world. Thanks for stopping by, Tash!

      Reply
  8. Kelsey says

    Posted on 6/12 at 11:52PM

    Do they sell the huckleberry seeds online? I want to plant. Please if you know where I can order the seeds online, let me know. I am not sure which of the names to use for the search to get a better result. Thanks

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 6/14 at 6:34AM

      Hi Kelsey! Would have to do some research on this and ask a few people who grow them. Will get back to you on this by the weekend.

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        Posted on 6/14 at 9:59AM

        Ok thanks. Will be waiting

        Reply
        • ImmaculateBites says

          Posted on 6/19 at 10:24AM

          I did some digging around and those that I spoke to got their seeds from Cameroon or Africa.

          Fyi, it’s seasonal, so if you plan on growing it you should have started in March , for it to blossom in the Summer .

          The Asian Farmer at my farmer’s market is not selling this summer . Would be curious to know where he gets his seeds.

          I’ll still be on the lookout if I find something new

          Reply
          • Kelsey says

            Posted on 6/19 at 10:05PM

            Thanks so much . I have searched online to no avail. Maybe the Chinese people might know. I searched on amazon, I saw huckleberry seeds but wasn’t sure it was the right one.

  9. Laura mofah says

    Posted on 4/4 at 3:45AM

    I actually like huckle berry,like it more when its cooked with groundnuts oil with no egusi,lol its one of my favourites!!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 4/4 at 9:53AM

      It’s loved by many.

      Reply
      • John Hammond says

        Posted on 12/12 at 10:16AM

        In New England huckleberry is a regional name for a berry related to blueberry
        The fruit is a small berry shaped like a blueberry but with an almost black skin and more seeds than a blueberry.
        It is produced on a bush that usually grows from 2 to 4 feet tall.
        So be sure what you grow if you grow your own. Many Solanacious species have toxins in leaves or fruit such as Atropa belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade

        Reply
        • ImmaculateBites says

          Posted on 12/16 at 3:27PM

          Thanks for take time out to share this with us.
          God Bless!!

          Reply
  10. Amos Mangbon says

    Posted on 11/20 at 5:54AM

    In Nigeria, huckleberry vegetable is cultivated and consumed in large quantity on the Mambilla Plateau of Taraba State. This vegetable substitutes all kind of meat. If you visit any Mambilla citizen, you are bound to be served this vegetable and corn fufu. The vegetable is regarded as a very special dish and is highly respected. Today, most ethnic groups in Taraba State have imbibed the tradition of consuming huckleberry as number one vegetable. It is called nyapnzui in Mambilla Bang dialect, Manghe in other Mambilla dialect, kumbi in fulfulde (fulani) language and for those that have Cameroun origin, it is called njama njama.

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 11/22 at 6:52PM

      Thanks for sharing . Very informative.

      Reply
  11. Cherie Burnham says

    Posted on 10/25 at 12:25PM

    Hi my name is Cherie. I have varieties of nighthade plants and seeds.

    Reply
    • Kelsey says

      Posted on 6/12 at 11:58PM

      Did you buy the seeds online. Not sure where to order online.I am looking for the one that is on this post. I live in Canada.

      Reply
  12. Erin says

    Posted on 2/1 at 6:37PM

    Thank you Imma! After 10 years of making the “basic” rice/bean/plantain dishes for my Cameroonian husband I was so excited to have him walk through the door after a long day and see a plate of Njama Njama with fufu. He absolutely devoured it and said I should make double next time! I went for a mix of red chard and spinach. I’ve struggled for so long to find recipes like yours. My only cookbook from Cameroon”add the necessary spices to taste.” Needless to say, I’m in love with your site! Everything I’ve made so far has been delicious, both African and Caribbean. Tonight Chicken Roti – tomorrow Ekwang and then roasted fish. I can hardly wait to make Achu soup. The man is going to yell with delight 🙂 THANK YOU!!!!!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 2/2 at 8:34AM

      AWESOME! Erin, you have just put smile on my face today. So happy hubby enjoyed it! Thank you so much! Your line up of dishes are some of my favorites, can’t seem to get enough of the chicken roti not to talk of Ekwang it’s been a while….

      Any Cameroonian man worth his salt would be delighted for any woman to cook him this variety of food. You are Amazing!!! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
      Happy Cooking!!!

      Reply
  13. Meg says

    Posted on 1/8 at 7:06AM

    Oh way?!!! boy o boy. There’s nothing like fresh ngama ngama and corn fufu. Is that semolina flour for the fufu? My mouth has been watering….

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 1/9 at 7:43AM

      No , I used corn meal.

      Reply
  14. Yvy says

    Posted on 5/28 at 5:46AM

    I love this dish with and without egusi. I wanted to suggest that you illustrate the ingredients you use in your recipes. As you know, some of your american names are not so familiar with us in Cameroon (for eg, i did not know that canola oil is actually palm oil). Kudos, u r doing a great job!!!

    Reply
  15. kelsey says

    Posted on 8/2 at 11:12AM

    I just wanted to find out from you which of the vegetable is closer to Huckleberry because I loved that vegetable but will not see that here in Canada. Or which will be the best substitutes you think?

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 8/3 at 6:46PM

      The best substitute for most people is spinach. I like water crest but is a little bit pricy compared to the other vegetables.Nothing really compares to Country Njama Njama.

      Reply

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