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Kwacoco Bible – made from grated cocoyam and mixed with spinach, smoked fish, red oil and other spices.
It is wrapped in plantain leaves, steamed until cooked through. Very filling, flavorful and aromatic side dish!
What is Kwacoco Bible?
Well known in Cameroon as kwacoco bible. It is a major staple enjoyed by the Bakweri tribe in the South West province.
It is prepared much like moin moin, and is a delightful recipe that can either be eaten alone or with a kpomo sauce as is eaten in the villages of Bakweri tribe.
Why is the name linked to a bible? I don’t know …your guess is as good as mine.
Kwacoco Bible Recipe
Cocoyam is cooked in all forms- fried, boiled, roasted and mashed in most parts of Africa. Mostly cooked as a side dish or one -pot meal.
It is a starchy root vegetable that is enjoyed in most tropical countries and goes under various names.
This starchy root with a hairy, kind of rough skin sometimes has a white or slightly pink interior. The pink ones are starchier and are really dry when cooked.
The flavor is actually quite strong, earthy, deep, and sometimes leaves a slight itch in the back of your throat.
Here, it is grated mixed with spinach, smoked fish, red oil and other spices. It then wrapped in plantain leaves, steamed until cooked through. Somewhat like this black-eyed fritters –moin moin, but with cocoyam
You can use a food processor to grate the cocoyam, it makes things easier – you may use a grater. If you are a perfectionist and want the best texture use a grater.
If you have the spice country onions then by all means use it , It adds flavor a nutty flavor to the this dish.
Increase the water or oil to make the cocoyam mixture moist enough, depending on the type of cocoyam used . Don’t go crazy with the water or oil 1/4 cup is good enough.
By the way, use foil paper, parchment paper if you do not have plantain leaves or place in plantain leaves first and then completely wrap in foil paper, if you are not using a steamer.
Serve warm and Enjoy!
Kwacoco Bible
Ingredients
- 7 medium cocoyams taro
- 1 cup palm oil - lightly warmed
- 1 cup smoked fish - flaked
- 1 cup crayfish - roughly blended
- 3 small seasoning cubes Maggi
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- ½ bunch cocoyam leaves or spinach - chopped
Instructions
- Peel cocoyams then use a grater to grate into a smooth paste (please see video). You could use a food processor to process.
- Mix together grated cocoyams with salt, Maggi, palm oil, spinach and fish until everything is well incorporated. [Prepare pot by lining the under with banana leaves or aluminium foil. Wrap about ¾ cup in each portion of banana leaves or aluminium foil. Place the litte wraps into the prepared pot. Cover all the wraps with some more aluminium foil of banana leaves then add in water to about half way of the wraps. Let it cook for one hour. Every 15 minutes, check and add more water so it doesn't burn. When it has cooked for one hour, allow the water left in pot to dry up then turn off the heat.
- Unravel and enjoy.
