Nigerian
Vegan
Gluten freeGwote (grain-ball porridge with leaves)
Gwoten: a northern Nigerian one-pot porridge of maize dough balls simmered with tomato and greens
Cold harmattan mornings in the villages around Kano and Bauchi are when gwote comes into its own: a pot of small, chewy maize or millet balls simmered in a tomato and pepper broth with whatever leaves are to hand. The balls swell and cloud the liquid until it becomes a thick, savoury porridge, warming and filling on a modest budget. It is eaten from a bowl with a spoon, with nothing else needed. Watch out for balls that are too big; they stay raw and floury in the middle, so keep them marble-sized. Chef's tip: knead the dough while it is still hot, so it turns smooth and the balls keep their shape in the pot.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 330 kcal
Ingredients
For the balls
- 7 oz fine maize mealor millet flour
- ¾ cup boiling waterroughly
For the broth
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 red bell pepperchopped
- 3 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 tbsp dawadawa (fermented locust beans)sub: 1 tsp white miso or fermented black beans, mashed
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 5 ½ oz sorrel, spinach or amaranth leaveschopped
- 1 tsp saltto taste
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 7 oz fine maize meal in a bowl and stir in ¾ cup boiling water with a wooden spoon. When cool enough to touch, knead for 2 minutes into a smooth, firm dough.
4 minStep 2: Pinch off small pieces and roll them between your palms into marble-sized balls, about 1.5 cm across. Set them on a floured plate.
10 minStep 3: Blend 1 onion, 3 tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper and 1 scotch bonnet chilli until smooth.
2 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp groundnut oil in a large pot over a medium heat and fry the blended base for 8 minutes, until it thickens and the oil rises.
8 minStep 5: Add 5 cups vegetable stock, 1 tbsp dawadawa (fermented locust beans) and 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Drop in the balls one by one, stirring gently so they don't clump.
3 minStep 6: Simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the balls are cooked through (cut one: no dry flour in the centre) and the broth has thickened to a loose porridge.
20 minStep 7: Stir in 5 ½ oz sorrel, spinach or amaranth leaves and cook for 3 minutes, until wilted. Taste for salt and serve hot in bowls.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gwote (grain-ball porridge with leaves) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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