Okok leaves
Also called: eru, okazi, ukazi, koko, Gnetum africanum
Okok leaves are the leaves of a forest vine of the genus Gnetum, sliced into very thin strips. They are the same Gnetum leaves that the South-West calls eru or okazi. Thick, tough and dark green, they taste mild and earthy, and they keep some bite after cooking.
Okok is a dish of the South and Centre regions. Lumo has two recipes that use the leaves, both from the South: okok salé (savoury) and okok sucré (sweet). In both, the leaves cook slowly in palm nut juice; the sweet version, as the name says, adds sugar. Okok is usually eaten with boiled cassava or bâton de manioc (cassava sticks).
Look for leaves that are deep green with no yellow patches. Most sellers slice them by machine; if yours are whole, roll a few leaves together and cut them as finely as you can. Give them a quick rinse before cooking. Fresh sliced leaves keep a few days in a sealed bag in the fridge, and they freeze well. Abroad, African grocery stores sell them mostly dried, sometimes frozen, and often labelled eru or okazi; it is the same product. Soak dried leaves in warm water for a few minutes before using them. There is no real substitute with the same texture.
Recipes with this ingredient
- Okok Salé Sud · 2 hr
The savoury southern Cameroon (Beti/Bulu) version: finely pounded okok leaves simmered in palm-nut juice with beef, smoked fish and crayfish.
- Okok Sucré Sud · 2 hr
The sweet southern Cameroon version: pounded okok leaves cooked in palm-nut juice with roasted peanuts and a touch of sugar, without fish or seasoning cubes.