Okok: traditional recipe, origin and ingredients

Where does Okok come from?

Okok is a Beti dish from the Centre made from Gnetum leaves (the same plant as eru) cooked with groundnut paste. It comes in a savoury version with palm oil and a much-loved sweet version, and is eaten with cassava sticks.

Other signature dishes of the Centre region: Sanga, Nnam ngon, Bobolo with groundnut sauce.

What are the ingredients for Okok?

For 6 people:

• Dried sliced okok
• Groundnut paste
• Cassava sticks
• Sugar (sweet version) (buy locally)

How do you make Okok? Step-by-step recipe

1. Soak the okok for 20 min and drain.
2. Thin the groundnut paste with 1 L water and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the okok and simmer 30 min, stirring, until thick.
4. Savory: palm oil and salt; sweet: sugar.
5. Serve with cassava sticks.

Tips for a perfect Okok

• Pick a version, sweet or savoury, not both.
• Stir often: groundnut paste catches.
• The sauce should be thick, almost firm.

What to serve with Okok

Traditionally it is served with cassava sticks. It is a dish for family meals and celebrations.

Where to buy Okok ingredients in Europe and North America

Outside Cameroon, the dry and frozen ingredients for Okok are often hard to find. Our kit gathers them, checked and packed in Douala, and delivers them across Europe, the UK, the US and Canada, including Paris, Brussels, London, Montreal.

Frequently asked questions