Against the dark summer night, you could see the evidence of a good time. Smoke crawled its way out of the grill and traveled up into the air, disappearing from sight but not from smell. Is there anything more mesmerizing than that smell? The smell of charcoal under the grill mixed with fresh fish and chicken marinated in green spices. On the table, we served Cameroon plum lightly grilled and next to it-a plate of semi sweet roasted plantains. In between each plate were cold bottles of Djino and Grenadine and in the background was great chatter and laughter. Our backyard had transformed into the likes of top Cameroonian grill hubs like Kem Kem or Melong.

Because of the tropical climate back in Cameroon, one can enjoy grilled chicken under the bright sky quite often. But here in the eastern parts of U.S, warm weather like this only comes for one quarter of the year. So it’s only right that we enjoy it! But with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial pandemic in America, it's been difficult to find things to celebrate recently. However, as I looked up from the grill and out onto my aunties backyard, I felt that there was something worth celebrating right in front of me: family.

It was my family who exposed me to the knowledge of fresh herbs and spices at a young age. Over the years, I’ve cherished their lessons and combined it with my own experiences in order to make the perfect Cameroonian green spice marinade. Today, I’ll show you how to use this green spice marinade for grilled chicken but you can also use this green spice marinade for roasted fish and grilled meats. The cooking method I’ll show you will also leave your grilled chicken juicy and flavorful.

Summer isn’t canceled! Grab your grill and let’s transform your backyard into the best summer nights to remember. Click play on the video below to cook along with me or scroll past the video to follow the written instructions.