Ingredients
Seeds
- 250 gnjangsa seeds, shelled
Optional
- a little water or stock, for grinding
Used in
- mbanga soup
- egusi-style stews
- sauce jaune
- goat and fish stews
Equipment
- a mortar, or a spice grinder
Directions
- Pick through them and discard any that are shrivelled, black or smell rancid. Rinse them briefly and drain them. Now toast them in a dry pan over a medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking constantly.
- Toast them until they smell strongly nutty and darken a shade, then stop. Do not let them scorch, because burnt njangsa is bitter and it carries through the whole pot.
- Let them cool completely before grinding.
- Grind them, in batches, until they release their oil and turn into a thick brown paste. The seeds are oily enough that they go from powder to paste on their own, in the way that peanuts become peanut butter.
- Grind them as finely as your machine will manage, because coarse njangsa is gritty in a sauce.
- Add a spoonful of water or stock if the machine struggles. To use it, slake the paste with a little cool stock before it meets the hot pot.
- Add it to a stew about twenty minutes before the end and simmer it gently. It thickens noticeably as it cooks, so add it and then judge whether the pot needs thinning.
Technique
- Whole seeds keep several months in a sealed jar away from light; ground paste keeps far less.
- Njangsa is sold whole and ground in African shops, and ground is often stale.
- It is used in small quantities and a tablespoon thickens a large pot.
Substitutions
- Akpi, essang or munguella, which are the same seed under other names.
- Ground egusi at a pinch, which thickens similarly but tastes quite different.
Variations
- Used whole and cracked in some grilled fish preparations.
- Combined with egusi for a richer thickening.
- Ground with garlic and chilli into a rub.
History
Seeds of the forest tree Ricinodendron heudelotii, gathered wild in Cameroon’s rainforest and traded regionally; the same seed is called akpi in Côte d’Ivoire.
Frequently asked questions
What is Njangsa?
Njangsa is a sauce & condiment from Cameroon: oily forest seeds ground to thicken and perfume stews with a bitter-nutty note. Seeds of the forest tree Ricinodendron heudelotii, gathered wild in Cameroon’s rainforest and traded regionally; the same seed is called akpi in Côte d’Ivoire.
How long does Njangsa take to make?
Njangsa takes 30 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 200 g of paste. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Njangsa?
Yes, within limits. Akpi, essang or munguella, which are the same seed under other names. Ground egusi at a pinch, which thickens similarly but tastes quite different.
What is the most important thing to get right in Njangsa?
Toast them until they smell strongly nutty and darken a shade, then stop. Do not let them scorch, because burnt njangsa is bitter and it carries through the whole pot.
