Tag: side dish

Sautéed Cabbage and Amaranth leaves.

On By WanjoroIn RecipesLeave a comment

One of the things that’s easy to take for granted in this part of the world, is having access to fresh green vegetables all year round.

If one has space to grow their own, even better. If you do not and have to buy, it is ok as they are not only inexpensive, but come in many different varieties to please different palates.

Amaranth leaves are more commonly known in Uganda as “Dodo” and in Kenya as “terere” or “mchicha.” It is on rotation in our meals a lot. It is rich in vitamins, easy to digest, low in calories and is a great immunity booster.

In this simple recipe, I used red amaranth leaves which are also rich in antioxidants, and gave the veggie mix a bright red color. Green amaranth leaves can work just as well too, minus the red colour obviously.

Let us get started:-

Ingredients.

⁃ Half a head of cabbage, chopped.

⁃ I small bunch of amaranth leaves. I used red but green can work well too.

⁃ 2tbsp ghee.

⁃ 1 tsp mustard seeds.

⁃ 1 large onion, sliced.

⁃ 1 tsp of crushed ginger and garlic.

⁃ 2 tomatoes, chopped.

⁃ 1 tsp dhania jeera powder.

⁃ 1/4 tsp ground turmeric.

⁃ Sliced bell pepper (optional).

⁃ Salt and pepper to taste.

Our spice mix for this dish.

⁃ A pinch of garam masala.

⁃ 1 small lemon halved.

Method.

⁃ Clean and chop all vegetables.

⁃ Heat pan, add ghee and mustard seeds. Once they sizzle a bit, add the onion and let cook till it is soft and translucent.

⁃ Add the ginger garlic paste and mix in well.

Once it’s cooked a bit add the tomatoes and cumin / coriander powder as well as some salt and pepper.

⁃ Let the tomatoes cook down then add the veggies.

Mix well and let cook for not more than ten minutes. You don’t want to overcook them. Leave uncovered.

They will shrink and wilt a bit. Don’t over cook them though. The cabbage is great when it still has a bit of crunch.

⁃ Check your seasoning and add the garam and squeeze half a lemon over the veggies.

The red amaranth leaves’ colour will give the dish a nice reddish, pinkish hue.

Serve hot with rice, ugali or chapati. It’s a perfect side dish but also yummy and healthy enough on its own.

Definitely worth a try don’t you think?

Try and let me know how yours turned out.

Love,

Wanjoro.

Sautéed Sukuma Wiki with Bacon.

On By WanjoroIn RecipesLeave a comment

Sukuma wiki aka collard greens are quite popular in East Africa. It is mostly had with ugali (steamed cornmeal) and fried with onions, tomatoes and spices of choice. It is also a great side dish for meat dishes.

As it is easily available and cheap, it can get boring fast, so one has to look for ways to spice it up. Like we did here with bacon.

You can also mix it up with Swiss chard, cowpea leaves or amaranth greens.

This is quick side dish that is easy to make and so delicious. If one can get younger, tender sukuma greens it is even better as they cook fast and are tastier than the big leafed mature ones.

For this recipe we will need:-

  • 3-4 strips of bacon. I used collar bacon, it is very flavourful, not too fatty and does not dry out when cooked. Making it perfect for this dish.
  • 1 chopped onion.
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped.
  • 1 large tomato and 1 green bell pepper (grated).
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil.
  • A small pinch of sugar (optional).
  • 1/2 tsp paprika.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • 1 bunch of tender sukuma wiki (collard greens).
  • Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon.

Let’s get started.

Chop your bacon up and add to a heated pan for it to render its fat.

It is not very fatty and doesn’t get too crispy. Cook for about 4-6 minutes on medium heat then set aside.

Add oil to the same pan, followed by the onion and garlic.

Once softened, add the grated tomato and bell pepper mix, as well as the paprika, and sugar, if using. Cover and let cook down till its a thick sauce.

Do not forget your seasoning.

Once tomatoes have cooked down, add the greens and increase heat. Let them cook for about 8 minutes till tender. They will shrink down fast, so keep that in mind when seasoning.

Once greens are cooked, add in the bacon you had set aside and mix it in well.

Last goes the squeeze of lemon and turn off the heat.

Let it rest a short while before serving, so the flavours can meld in well.

(You can add in cayenne or hot pepper if no kids will eat it).

This is a great side dish for ugali, mashed potatoes or chapati.

We had ours with these green banana cutlets whose recipe I shared last week here.

It is tasty, easy to make, colourful and smells so good!

Please try it and let me know how it turned out.

Love,

Wanjoro.

Tasty French Beans Recipe.

On By WanjoroIn Recipes1 Comment

French beans aka green beans aka haricot vert are usually had as side dishes, steamed or sautéed. Here is a simple recipe that enables them shine as a main vegetable dish.

Green beans are known as ‘miciri’ or ‘mishiri’ in my mother tongue and are usually chopped and added to a stew with meat (beef) carrot and potatoes.

I however prefer them a bit bigger in size and crunchy too, cooked through but with some bite to them.

They are rich in various vitamins, such as Vitamins K and C, also rich in folate, fiber, and calcium among other nutritional benefits.

They are also easily available and affordable in Kenya and Uganda. And are one of Kenya’s main horticultural export crops.

My son loves them. Whether as a saucy curry, sautéed with some butter, steamed or even roasted with some carrots there is no shortage of ways to get your family to have and love this vegetable.

Let’s get started.

Our ingredients are:-

1. French beans. (About 2 large fistfuls). Cleaned and sliced diagonally.

2. One large onion. Chopped.

3. Two large cloves of garlic. (Use local, it has better flavour).

4. 2 tablespoons cooking oil.

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Spices used are 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds, a bit of turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of Kenyan curry powder.

7. Three tomatoes, chopped.

Method.

Heat your pan and add the oil and mustard seeds, then the onion.

Let the onion cook till a bit brown and add your minced garlic.

Add the ground spices and mix well till they release their flavours then add the tomatoes, and some salt.

Lower heat and cover. Let the tomatoes cook down into a mushy sauce.

Add your green beans and mix well.

Cover and cook on low for ten minutes. If you want them more tender cook for longer but not too long as they get chewy. Ten to twelve minutes are just right for me.

Check seasoning and serve hot. You can have it as a side or as a main vegetable dish. I had mine with some aromatic rice.

Easy peasy. Simple, tasty, colorful and filling.

Give it a try and have your French beans in a different way. You will not regret it.

Simple Pineapple and Mint Salad.

On By WanjoroIn RecipesLeave a comment

Pineapple and mint always go well together. In juice, in a smoothie and now in this refreshing salad that is another great side dish to add to your recipe collection.

They are both rich in nutrients, aid digestion, boost immunity as they are both rich in anti oxidants that help fight inflammation, great for your skin and breath and make a very colourful plate.

All you will need for this simple and tasty salad are:-

  • Half a ripe pineapple.
  • Coloured capsicum, cut into thin strips. (I used red and yellow).
  • 2 tablespoon’s roughly chopped mint.
  • 1 lemon, juice it and grate the zest too.
  • 2 tbsp honey.

Method.

  1. Cut the pineapple into strips and add to a bowl. I obviously used Ugandan pineapples as they are the sweetest in the world.
  2. Cut the capsicum too and add to the bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and honey and mix well. You can also add any pineapple juices to that.
  4. Add the chopped mint and pour over the pineapple and capsicum strips.
  5. Add the lemon zest last before giving it a final mix.
  6. You can chill a bit before serving, to give the flavours time to blend in well together.

Colourful and Tasty.

The salad goes well on its own or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Love,

Wanjoro.

Terere in Peanut Sauce.

On By WanjoroIn Memories, Recipes, Things I love about KampalaLeave a comment

Terere is what we call amaranth leaves in my mothertongue. So this dish is amaranth leaves in peanut sauce.

This dish makes me nostalgic of my uni days when I’d scour through cookbooks filled with recipes, copy some and try them out at home over the weekend. Clearly I didn’t have an active social life back then. 😆

The first recipe I ever saw that called for peanut sauce in greens was from Southern Africa, using pumpkin leaves, which I just had to try out. Thankfully pumpkin leaves were available in our garden and I’ve never forgotten the creamy deliciousness I enjoyed when I attempted the dish.

I like making this as a side dish for ugali. But it can work with other mains as well.

I like amaranth as it’s one of those plants you can consume the grains and the leaves, the grains are ground into flour to make porridge, or puffed to make breakfast cereal, or pressed with honey into cereal bars that make a great snack for kids and adults too. It is easily available and affordable, there is no excuse to not include it in your diet.

Amaranth is not hard to grow and back home grows wild in the farm. They come in green and red varieties.

Terere aka “dodo” as it is known here in Kampala is a nutrient powerhouse, despite being viewed as a lowly vegetable by many. It is high in fiber and iron, rich in vitamin A, protein, calcium, lysine (which enables the body to absorb calcium among other benefits), as well as rich in various vitamins and minerals.

In this recipe, I used two bunches of green amaranth leaves and one bunch of Swiss chard. One onion, three cloves garlic minced, one sliced tomato, and 1and a half heaped tbsp peanut sauce mixed with a bit of water to make a paste, salt and pepper to taste. Spices used were a pinch of paprika but this is optional.

Clean your greens, remove the thick stalks and chop them roughly. Set aside in a colander.

Mix the peanut butter and half a cup of water in a bowl. Till it’s like a smooth porridge.

Once mixed, set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan. Fry the onion and garlic till soft.

Add the tomatoes and spice and mix well with a pinch of salt.

Once tomatoes are soft, add the greens and mix well.

Once wilted, add the sauce.

Simmer for about 10 minutes. The vegetables will release their water and mix with the peanut sauce into a thick sauce and be tender.

Note: The younger the veggies, the shorter the cooking time as you do not want to overcook them. I like them with some bit of bite left.

Use good quality peanut butter preferably with no added sugar. I like using a local brand that mixes in sesame seeds to them that makes it darker in colour but also adds more flavour.

Serve your vegetables hot with your main of choice. I like having them with ugali and avocado slices on the side. Yum!