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Boo
Boo: northern Ugandan cowpea leaves simmered in groundnut paste
Ask someone from Lira or Kitgum what home tastes like and many will say boo, the leaves of the cowpea plant, picked young from the same fields that give the beans. Slow-cooked until they are dark and silky, then thickened with groundnut paste, they turn into a mellow, slightly bitter, deeply savoury green sauce with none of the tartness of malakwang. It is everyday food, eaten with kalo, posho or sweet potatoes. Fresh, frozen or dried cowpea leaves are sold at African grocers; kale or spring greens stand in well. Chef's tip: a pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the first boil softens tough leaves quickly and keeps their colour; any more than a pinch makes them soapy.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz cowpea leavesfresh or frozen from African grocers; or 400 g kale, stems removed
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tomatochopped
- 4 ½ oz peanut buttersmooth, unsweetened
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash 14 oz cowpea leaves and shred them finely with a sharp knife.
Step 2: Bring 1 ¼ cups water to the boil in a pot over a high heat, add the leaves and 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda and boil until tender and soft when pinched.
10 minStep 4: Loosen 4 ½ oz peanut butter with the rest of ½ cup water and stir it into the pot with 1 tsp salt.
Step 5: Simmer over a low heat, stirring often so it does not catch, until the sauce is thick and creamy and the raw peanut taste has gone.
12 minStep 6: Taste for salt and serve hot with kalo or sweet potatoes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does boo take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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