Achu soup is the traditional food of several villages in Cameroon’s North West region. It is a specialty of the Bamenda and it is also popular among the Bamilekes in the country’s western area.
Ndza Nikki is another name for yellow soup and in French, it is known as “sauce jaune”.
Achu is always served mashed or pounded cocoyam (taro).
Achu soup is light and appetizing with a deep unique flavor. It is indeed finger-licking especially because the meal is consumed with one’s hands.
It is served in a unique style too. On the plate, a mound of pounded cocoyam is formed, and a hole is made in the center of the mound.
The soup is poured into the hole. Achu is referred to as “one finger around the world” because you eat it by circling the pounded cocoyam mound with your finger and dipping it into the soup.
Also read: How to Make the Tasty Attiéké or Cassava Couscous With Fried Fish
Ingredients for making Achu soup
- 2lbs beef
- beef broth
- ½ cup palm oil
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (or kanwa/nikki)
- powdered achu spices
- seasoning cubes
- salt to taste
- scotch bonnet
- cocoyam
Procedure
- Boil beef in a medium pot with salt, hot pepper, and seasoning cubes until it is tender enough
- When cooked, dish out the beef and keep the stock aside
- In another pan, heat your palm oil for about a minute (do not bleach it)
- On the other hand, mix all your ingredients (beef stock, limestone, achu spices and palm oil) except your protein into a blender and blend until smooth and yellowish in color
- Put it over your meat and serve with Achu (mashed cocoyam)
How to make achu
- Wash the cocoyam and place them in a pot with the skin on.
- Cook until the cocoyam are tender and the skin easily peels off.
- Peel and blend them in a food processor while they are still warm. Traditionally, they are mashed in a mortar, but a food processor would suffice, though the mixture will not be as smooth.
- When finished, transfer to a serving bowl and serve. Warm banana leaves or aluminum foil could alternatively be used to wrap the achu into lumps.
