A TOUR AROUND MY KITCHEN: WHAT HEALTHY EATING MEANS TO ME.

I am Arrey. I am from Cameroon, Central Africa. I come from a country endowed with natural food and a people passionate about cooking varieties of delicacies. We have the knack to take just about anything and produce a healthy something that tantalizes your taste buds, leaving you asking for more. It is because of this that I will be talking about three different dishes from my native land.

As a young child, I learnt to appreciate food and the value of good nutrition from mama. Not only did she prepare food in huge quantities, she also made sure the quantities came with quality.

It is from her that I learnt the importance of adding that extra plantain or cocoyam or fufu because, that unknown visitor might just decide to visit that day and must have something to eat. It is from her that I developed my passion for anything within the kitchen which I have tried to perfect according to my taste as I grew up.
Despite learning to prepare and appreciate different cuisines across the globe, my mama’s kitchen still appeals to me and it is in her kitchen that I live and swear by even though now living away from her. I have reinvented her kitchen in my tiny space because old habits die hard and my childhood cuisine has remained my favourite all time dishes.

This opportunity affords me the platform to talk about three such traditional childhood dishes I still cherish till date. Eru is a traditional dish enjoyed by people all over Cameroon and the world today. It originates from the Banyangi people of the South West Region of Cameroon where I hail from. This delicacy is so popular that people consider it an insult if a banyangi family hosts an important party and it doesn’t feature on the menu. Prepared with assorted variety of meat and palm oil in its natural state, it is a dish that encompasses all the nutrients to make it a perfect balanced diet. The combination of vegetables, meat, Carbohydrates, oil etc makes it not only delicious but also healthy. Palm oil in its natural state is better than any of the refined oils and it remains the best oil to prepare this delicacy. I prefer the traditional way my ancestors before me cooked it.

The second dish I will be presenting is called Tanchot Soup. Similar to what many know as Ogbono soup but with a slight difference. This is also a delicacy particular to my people the banyangis. It has been judiciously guided from the world ever since Eru became popular. It is believed our ancestors wanted to preserve something uniquely ours. All the same, this delicacy is best enjoyed when prepared by a native of the banyangis or by someone who has lived with them and learnt the art of cooking it. The main ingredient in the dish is not widely known or maybe could be known but used differently by others. Prepared with egusi (pistachio), a type of mango seedling known here as bush mango, an assorted variety of meat and smoked fish, vegetables, pinch of oil, etc. The marriage feast between the pot and all these ingredients produces a delicacy that not only tantalizes the taste buds but also ensures you are having a well prepared and balance meal. The bonus point in this dish is that the mango is a body fat killer. Therefore not only are you enjoying your meal, you are also killing excess body fat while doing so.

And finally this Hotpot Irish potato dish. I don’t know why it is called hotpot but it is a popular dish here. Prepared with potatoes and assorted vegetables and any meat of your choice, it is a delicacy which not only warms your taste buds but also ensures you have a complete balanced meal before you. I used liver here because of its rich iron and other nutritive contents suitable for an anemic person.

As someone who needs healthy and balanced meals daily, I am particular with the dishes I prepare. I always make sure they are balanced and up to date with nutritional values. I mostly prefer to cook the way my parents and grandparents cooked... boiling, steaming, more vegetables and food in their natural state. I avoid canned dishes especially with those that I can find them easy naturally and of course always make sure I have fruits and water to top it all.

All in all, the importance of healthy eating cannot be overemphasized. It is not about how expensive your dish is but rather how well you can plan and prepare a healthy balanced meal. And when it comes to eating, I am a firm believer in eating what I know and am used to without trying to over change their natural way of making them. It is all about doing it moderately. Thanks for touring my kitchen with me and discovering what healthy eating means for me.

While some have excess to eat, many still go hungry. My wish is to see everyone have access to good food someday.