Hey everyone it's Mark Wiens I'm in Cote d'Ivoire and one of the most popular dishes is Palm Nut Stew which is a dish you'll find all over West Africa But today we are making and eating a very unique version that's going to use Palm Nuts and the heart of Palm a monkey Whisperer he's calling the monkeys Wow! This is amazing! They're so gentle and kind monkeys and we're just right here in the boat with them. We're gonna see the entire process from tree to pot to stomach. It's going to be a meal that you're not going to want to miss and I'm going to share it all with you coming up right now in this video. Thank you Hey everyone, it's Mark Wiens And if you're just joining me on this food tour, we're in Cut Duvois, which is also known as Ivory Coast in West Africa We'll be traveling through the entire country to eat the best Local Foods in remote Villages And along the way we'll discover the fascinating Ivorian cultures, including the most impressive traditional dances I've ever seen.

Yesterday we visited a Coastal Village to try a two-day cooked African catfish. Today we're in Grand Veravi, an area that's known for its oil palm trees an essential West African ingredient in Palm nut soup. but their version here is unique. As you'll find out it literally comes from the heart.

Okay, okay, I'm Mark Okay, okay. nice to meet you. Okay, welcome. What is the name of the village? What is the name? Bonjour? Okay, and here we go.

This is where we're going to be cooking and these are the these are the amazing ladies who are going to cook. But the first thing that we're gonna do because this is going to be all the way from tree to pot to stomach we are gonna go to the the oil Palms. you're gonna cut down the the Palm nuts and also see the way the the uniquely eat the the heart of the Palm in this area as well which is going to go into the Promenade soup so we're going to see the full process and then we'll come back to start cooking. Oh my God around here it's really muggy back here but this is where there's coconut trees and lots and lots of African oil palm trees.

They're actually going to harvest two things which is all going to go into the Palm nuts too the heart of palm as well as the Palm nuts. He's clearing off some of the the palm branches and getting to. you can see those bright orange nuts underneath it. There it goes.

Okay Mercy wow oh that's extremely spiky. This is a very small one I Think they can get up to like 30 kilos but he said this is about five kilos that's so sharp and uh this is that I mean it's the fruit. it's the nuts of the African oil palm. It's something that's essential in West African cuisine and here in Cote d'Ivoire and this is it's such a cool fruit.

I Love the vibrant orange little little nuts and this is what the entire Palm nut stew is going to be based upon. And from what I was reading, there's been evidence of oil Palms being used as food and cultivated as far as 5 000 years ago. Okay, so we're gonna go get the heart of palm next. Okay, so it is the same African oil palm tree, but this one is just a younger tree and that's where we're going to get the heart of palm.

Man, that's a lot of Labor He's just clearing all the the brush, all of the branches, all of those low Palm leaves from the bottom, but it's just steamy in this Forest it's so humid. this is the only way to do it manually with a machete to chop off each branch because you don't know exactly I Said if you were to use a power tool or a or a chainsaw, it wouldn't work because you wouldn't know where the the heart of the Palm begins. You have to just go around circling the tree, taking off Branch by branch. So in human country, in common country, the heart of palm is significant when it comes to kinship.

So if you have a guess you hosting someone of of Valor of that's dear to your heart you you give them the heart of palm because it's a symbol of your attachment to him. Okay, so it's like the ultimate sign of respect. Yes, okay. and the fact that it's hard to get to it has a lot of meanings to it.

It's hard to get to the heart, but once you get to the heart, it's you. it is. You know the heart is wide open. it's a it's a sign and it's a message that I'm I'm I'm greeting you I'm welcoming you you into my space.

Start to see the the heart of the Palm in there is getting softer. It's getting softer and softer. as you get to the core of that palm tree right. you can see how young it's getting and that's going to be the edible part where you can actually eat like the the shoots, the wood, the core of the the palm, the heart of the Palm Foreign? Yes, Oh you're getting to that sweet heart of the Palm.

Oh there it is. Yes, just white and pure on the inside. Last part and then we're done. It's ready.

Yes! Joseph Mercy That is a lot of work. Mercy Wow, Very good. Yeah, very good. Yes, that was absolutely amazing.

We got the Heart of palm. This is like a drumstick sized massive, looks like a bone almost. and then uh, the Palm nuts. So back to the to the uh where the ladies are gonna make the Palm nuts too with the heart of palm.

of course you'll find Palm nuts stew across West Africa But this version that we're gonna have today, especially with the heart of palm is unique to this region. Um, it's a rare. it's a rare delicacy and it's something that's served on special occasions because it's so laborous. Oh okay, we're back at the hut now with all the ingredients and this is where we're gonna see it all being put together.

but it's gonna be very intensive I Think no. It takes hours to boil and cook but all of the raw ingredients are ready. There's some giant snails that are going to go into the recipe as well as some hairy crabs as well as some of the local shrimp that are going to go into it as well as I think there's going to be some meat as well. And then of course the heart of palm and the Palm nuts.

Snails are Huge! And here we have the the local Harry crabs they're called. Wow! Another thing is that I just found out is if you give the heart of palm in in your friend that's visiting when he leaves, you return because you've given him out of your heart. Whoa! what is that? Oh that's the snail. Massive.

That one is. Huge. Slice that open. Oh hello you hello as they continue to prepare all of the ingredients.

Uh now Joseph is getting started. Uh, just hacking off the Palm nuts from that entire pod. Foreign. Okay, okay let's see.

after slicing off those Palm nuts, they're cleaned up and then they boil for 40 minutes. But they already pre-boiled some other Palm nuts so we don't have to wait for the whole process. So those are ready. They've been boiled.

they're ready to go. They're ready to be combined with all of that seafood and all of those spices and ingredients for the dish. And so even as all of the other ingredients are being prepared, she has still been chopping up the heart of palm, treating it with so much respect. I Said: you have to treat it with so much respect because it's the heart, it's the soul and that I mean is even part of the meaning of the culture here in the crewman tribe.

And I love how it's so rhythmic, yet it's uneven. It's kind of random sliced pieces, not the even slices, but that is something that I'm sure is going to matter when it comes to the texture, to the feel to the flavor of the dish. Oh man. back over here to the to the snails and look at that snail slime that comes out of them that she's really cleaning them Well, getting off all that slime and just getting the meat of That Snail Out That is some serious snail slime.

Yeah, Giant Escort Ago goes in now. Oh it's a secret. It's a it's a woman's secret. Oh okay.

okay. I think it's like salted fish right? Yeah, What is this? What is that? That's a .com a type of leaf. okay, onions go in Eagle. Oh it's called African Laurel Whoa.

it smells incredible. It has this like it's a little. It smells like ginger, a little bit, a little bit like ginger. or oh well.

the end. Oh that smells so good. and that's one of the leaves. Yeah, herbs that go into the flavoring stock.

a little bit of stock cubes. go in. Okay, now we're moving over to pounds of palm nuts man. And just after pounding for minutes, you can already see that fibrous interior coming out.

It's really stringy, really fibrous, and already the oils are coming out. I mean West African Oil Palms are known for their high yield of oil and that's why palm oil is so common. But this is the unrefined. This is the nuts using the entire Palm nut and it's so fragrant you could just as like with every pound, the aroma gets stronger.

that nuttiness. Oh this is incredible and that is the ultimate fresh squeezed Palm juice. Palm oil Just completely natural. I Mean you just massage it out of that pulp, that beautiful golden liquid which is heavy in oils and fat and so rich and so flavorful and that forms the base that forms the flavor of so many dishes throughout.

West Africa Again, all the seafood is in there. we go. Thank you. Oh yeah, I don't know so they want us to taste the I Think this is a freshwater? Oh, it's hot.

You know she's the expert. Oh okay, okay okay okay. take that out and then just bite it. Okay, oh that's hot.

Oh look at that. Steam Oh wow I Gotta put that in my mouth fast. Oh the texture is incredible and she's been boiled so far with the Haro Palms So it's sweet, but they're about to add in. she's grinding up chilies which are about to go in as well as um, the Palm juice oil is about to go in.

it's the main event. Wow. Peppers Go in. Oh wow.

Okay, we're gonna be eating the Palm nut soup with rice. Um, which is something that they eat in this region along with rice as the staple. but they make it in a unique Way by boiling some onions and then putting a Banana Leaf at the the bottom of the pot to boil the rice. Oh, that needs to boil for an hour.

In the meantime, we're gonna go around and uh MO is saying that there's a nice place to see monkeys in this area. We're gonna do a little bit of sightseeing and then we'll be back in an hour for the final product. This once in a lifetime meal in Cote d'Ivoire Oh cool. Um this is really interesting.

He is a monkey conservationist and he was explaining to us that previously monkey used to be commonly eaten in these parts of Cote d'Ivoire But he has advocated for the preservation of the monkeys and he has a passion for for these special monkeys here and so he's committed to preserving the monkeys, promoting tourism to come see the monkeys here. and he's like a a monkey. Whisperer He's calling the monkeys. Oh yeah, they're starting to jump in the mangroves.

They're coming. Whoa whoa wait can I Yeah wow hello yeah, it's pretty amazing. Wow, this is amazing. They're so gentle and kind monkeys and we're just right here in the boat with them.

It's so close. but they're just so so gentle. Yeah, whoa. and he just you can tell his passion for the monkeys.

it's just whoa. That guy's huge. oh that's him. He's been had this connection with the monkeys for 20 years and you can see this has this incredible deep connection so they just have this incredible respect to Leo and also with the the monkeys.

It's a mutual respect. It's pretty cool. I mean I've seen a lot of monkeys but never quite like this situation where it's just in the wild Banana: it's a special banana. Oh with the assist, oh that's the last one.

yeah, we know why we know your way. Singing that was absolutely beautiful and Leon's chatting as we were paddling on the river was so peaceful. I did get slapped by a wet monkey tail but that was an incredible experience and we are back where the Palm nut soup should just about be ready. Oh it smells so good.

The rice with the Banana Leaf fragrance, the aromatics the rice has served the Palm nuts stew is. You can see how the oil has broken, the oil has separated, it started to thicken, it looks so rich, it's so hearty and that's about to be served. Yeah like lava. it's so hot and bubbling and so aromatic.

Oh man, that Aroma the thickness, the richness, all of the Chili Peppers in there, the fresh chilies, the dry chilies that she ground into a paste to put in there. it's just all simmered down into a rich thick consistency that Aroma it's almost unbelievable. Oh man, and the effort, the time, the complexity. Everything that went into this dish is truly something that I cannot admire enough.

This is something extremely special. Oh I forgot about the the heart of palm that's just like melted into the sauce as well. and we're just stepping across the path right next to the Sea for the meal. Yes, yes we actually.

But before we start eating, one more ritual and this is big part of the culture to show respect to the community, the tribe. The Village We are meeting up with a chief. uh he's a representative of the chief and he's going to just officially welcome us to the Village before we enjoy the meals. So this is a welcoming snack that that is given to any visitor.

Um, the cola symbolizes power, the pepper symbolizes strength, and then the water is the source of life. And then the the juice is the king. Juice is, uh, it's it's a sugar cane juice. alcoholic, fermented, fermented sugar, sugarcane, alcohol.

Okay, okay and then foreign. So this is the cola. Nut Purple? Yeah. I don't know if I've ever known what this is.

Cola Nut. Okay, and then you chase with the pepper. Yes, yeah. Palm Full Yeah, Okay, followed by the pepper followed.

Wow. That's bitter and spicy and immediately kind of like chalky up a little bit. Wow, That is something unique. and then you wash it down with water.

wash it down with water. It's like milky foreign. Cheers. Yeah, Oh yeah, that's strong.

That's the fumes go up your nose immediately. Wow. Maybe more people who know about them and he wants to thank you for being here. He's going to be brief because the time is up.

Okay okay that was so special. Such like I mean they the community. They treat you with so much respect. Um, and it's just such an honor.

such a privilege to be here. Okay, this is how you eat it. So you grab a ball of rice, make it into a smash it into a ball with some of the sauce. Yes, We are sitting down with Mr Leon and his wife.

Yes and this is such a special meal. Okay I'm not even gonna talk, we have to. We have to dig in. I'm so excited and I like grabbed a grabbed a ball of rice, smash it in the Palm a little bit until it's a bit condensed, then you can pick up some of that that Palm nut.

oh it's so hot. Oh and the the Palm uh heart of palm is just melted into it. Wow oh oh that is stunning. Muy come on.

Oh that's award-winning The depth of flavor, the complexity, the way that the heart of palm is just melted into the sauce, but adding sweetness to contrast the nuttiness of the Palm nuts and the oil and the richness. and then all of the seafood that's just been boiled down with the shells giving an extra flavor. oh that's that is a stunning, stunning dish. We're up for a oh yes, we're up for a piece of snail on the next bite.

Oh it's so hot. Oh the snail is so tender and sweet. Wow Oh yes oh that's so much flavor. And I love this style of eating where you can just make a ball of rice because it's sticky and then just dip into that that warm kind of squeeze in kind of eat it from the palm of your hand.

Yes oh man yes, the complexity and this is like completely dedicated to the oil palm. Just the heart, the oil, the nuts, massive flavor. Yeah men. still grateful to be here.

This is truly truly memorable, truly special. And yeah, thank you so much to this incredible Community Here The Crewman tribe in um Pimen? yeah those. West African Peppers yeah and man with all of those peppers in there and the the red chili dried chili that they added that has some heat to it. oh man, that's like impressively spicy for just a dish without any chilies on the side.

that is Ultra addictive. It is so unbelievably tasty and everything is fresh. For the for the shrimp, you can just kind of bite the shell and get the meat out with all that sauce. hmm or you can kind of eat the shell s but it's spicy.

He was mentioning that you can find Palm nut stew in other regions in other parts of Cote D'iber I mean throughout West Africa yeah but their version is special and unique because of that heart of palm which is unique to this region right here. The Crewman tribe oh those schnails are actually one of the Highlight Meats oh I Haven't even tried the crab yet. Okay, it's time. Oh yes.

Oh okay. all the juices sold with palm oil soup. Bad soup. oh the drizzle was just showing us how to eat that crab.

Scoop out all that head butter juices, scoop it out. Oh slightly bitter, nutty. um absorbed with all the Palm nuts do. Oh oh yes, oh man.

Now with all the crab juice that gives it another dimension. Wow, that was filling. That was a massive portion. It's time to lean back.

Oh that was overjoyed. Oh we're heading back! That was a meal of memory that I'll never forget. Thank you to Leon and his family and the entire crewman tribe for sharing this extraordinary meal. And to my friend.

MO from Bel Cote D'ivoire he runs tours. he supports this community. I'll have his Link in the description box that you should definitely check out. and I mean these are people with such huge hearts and they just really gave their all! Hospitality that was incredibly special.

What a meal! Thank you so much for watching! Please remember to give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed it. Leave a comment below I'd Love to hear from you and if you're not already subscribed, make sure you subscribe now for lots more food and travel videos and we're traveling around Cote d'Ivoire exploring some of the unique, special and tastiest foods. and so you're not going to want to miss any videos in this series. So thanks again for watching and I'll see you on the next video.

Foreign.