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Cameroon Smoked Bonga Fish Stew

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📁 African food

Popular in This Category

Fresh bonga fish is used in cooking stews and fried fish recipes. Some boil the fresh bonga fish and use it as a side dish for local recipes. Other African home chefs buy bonga fish roasted, salted and dried, or smoked bonga fish. 

It is estimated that nearly 70 percent of the total fish supply in West Africa is marketed in the smoked or dried forms. 

Bonga fish is caught in the coastal and estuarine waters, and lagoons along West Africa from Senegal to Cameroon. During the dry season it is caught far inland when salt water penetrates the rivers.

 

Making Cameroon Smoked Bonga Fish Stew 


Cooking fish in Cameroon Africa.
Cooking fish in Cameroon Africa.

Cameroon in West Africa, bonga fish is a popular fish to use in recipes, bonga is usually smoked with lots of fresh vegetables. 


Prep time: 15 min 

Cook time: 20 min 

Total time: 35 min 


Ingredients 

4 smoked bongas or any smoked fish 

2 green plantains cut in quarters 

2 medium onions, chopped 

2 green peppers, chopped 

2 large tomatoes, diced 

¼ cup palm oil 

2 dried basil leaves 

2 cups vegetable broth 

Pepper to taste 



Directions 

In a large pot heat palm oil, add onions and peppers saute 3 minutes. Add all ingredients into a large pot and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over rice or as a stew. 


Did you know? Cameroon is well known for its land use diversity, which enables farmers to grow a very large number of crops. Pineapples farms in Cameroon are especially productive exports. 


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The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.
African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.