The story
Ndolé is a dish of the Sawa peoples of the Cameroon coast, especially the Duala of Douala, the busy port on the Wouri estuary. Its name refers to the bitterleaf plant, whose leaves are boiled several times to soften their bitterness and then stewed with ground peanuts, garlic and onion. Fishing communities added what the water gave them: smoked fish, crayfish and prawns, which make the most prized version. No inventor or date is recorded. Served at weddings, funerals and family celebrations with plantains or cassava sticks called miondo and bobolo, it spread through Douala's restaurants to become Cameroon's best-known national dish.
Also known as ndole, ndolè, ndoleh, bitterleaf stew.
On the Meridish menu
Ndolé was the main course on menu No. 13 on October 13, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Bitterleaf greens stewed with ground peanuts, crayfish and prawns, eaten with plantains or cassava sticks. It began with the fishing communities of this busy river port.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
