Cameroon Yellow Soup with Cocoyam

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A beloved Cameroonian dish from the Northwest Region, this vibrant yellow soup is built on a base of palm oil thickened with pounded cocoyam and loaded with tender beef, tripe, and smoked fish. It is traditionally served alongside smooth achu fufu (pounded cocoyam) and eaten communally with the fingers.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 585 kcalCalories
• 42 gFat
• 15 gSaturated Fat
• 14 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 36 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 680 mgPotassium
• 85 mgCalcium
• 6 mgIron
• 5 mgVitamin C
• 135 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the meat and broth

• 1 lb beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 lb tripe (shaki), cleaned and cut into strips
• 1/2 lb cow skin (kpomo), scraped and cubed
• 8 cups water
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

For the soup base

• 1/2 cup palm oil
• 1 lb small cocoyam (achu), peeled and quartered
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp ground crayfish
• 2 tsp bouillon powder
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 lb smoked catfish, deboned and flaked
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers, whole (optional)

Directions

1. Place beef chuck, tripe, and cow skin in a large pot with the water, quartered onion, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam, then reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes until the meats are tender.
2. While the broth cooks, boil the cocoyam in a separate pot of salted water for 20 minutes until very soft. Drain, place in a mortar, and pound to a smooth, stretchy paste (or mash thoroughly with a potato masher).
3. Heat the palm oil in a heavy pot over medium heat for 2 minutes until it turns a deep orange but does not smoke. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 4 minutes until fragrant and softened.
4. Pour in 4 cups of the strained meat broth, scraping up any flavorful bits. Stir in the bouillon powder, ground crayfish, and white pepper and bring the mixture to a steady simmer.
5. Add small spoonfuls of the pounded cocoyam to the simmering broth, stirring continuously in one direction. The cocoyam will melt into the liquid, thickening it and giving the soup its characteristic bright yellow color. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Stir in the boiled beef, tripe, and cow skin along with the flaked smoked catfish. Add the whole scotch bonnet peppers for heat without overwhelming the broth, then simmer for another 8 minutes to meld the flavors.
7. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then remove the scotch bonnet peppers. The finished soup should be glossy, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and richly golden.
8. Ladle hot into bowls and serve immediately with pounded cocoyam fufu or boiled plantain, traditionally eaten by pinching off pieces of fufu and dipping them into the soup.

Cook’s Notes

• Tripe and cow skin are essential for the traditional texture and flavor; skip neither if you want an authentic result.
• Watch the palm oil carefully; it should never smoke, as that produces a bitter taste and dull color.
• Pound the cocoyam while still very warm, otherwise it will not stretch into the smooth fufu consistency.
• For a brighter yellow hue, finish with a tablespoon of additional palm oil swirled in at the end.
• Leftover soup tastes even better the next day once the smoked fish has fully infused the broth.

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