AI-generated image
Kalembula
Sweet potato leaves with groundnuts
Kalembula: Zambian sweet potato leaves cooked with tomato, onion and groundnut powder
Kalembula grows wherever there is a patch of sweet potato, so it is as common in Eastern Province villages as it is in the backyard gardens of Kitwe, and it is usually picked minutes before it is cooked. The heart-shaped leaves are softer than pumpkin leaves and need no peeling; they wilt into a smooth, slightly mucilaginous relish with a pleasant, faintly bitter edge. Here the onion and tomato are fried first into a sweet base, the leaves go in after, and groundnut powder enriches the pot at the finish. Serve beside nshima and beans, or with fried kapenta for the non-vegetarians in the house. Overcooking turns it olive-drab and mushy, so stop as soon as the leaves are tender. Chef's tip: shred the leaves very finely, almost like a chiffonade, so they cook in minutes and stay green.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz sweet potato leavesfrom African or Asian grocers; tough stalks removed
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ¾ oz ground raw peanutsgroundnut flour
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash 14 oz sweet potato leaves in two changes of cold water, stack them, roll them up tightly and slice into very thin shreds.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until soft and just starting to colour.
5 minStep 4: Add the shredded leaves and ½ cup water, stir well, cover and cook over a medium-low heat until wilted and tender but still bright green.
5 minStep 5: Whisk 1 ¾ oz ground raw peanuts with the rest of ¼ cup water to a thin cream and stir it into the pan.
Step 6: Simmer uncovered, stirring, until the relish is thick and creamy and the nutty raw taste has cooked out.
4 minStep 7: Taste for salt and serve straight away with nshima.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalembula take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 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).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
TashmijabiMashed potatoes with stretchy cheese
Potatoes grow well in the cold valleys of Svaneti, and tashmijabi is how families around Mestia turn them into a feast dish: they are mashed hot, then beaten with handfuls of young sulguni until the purée becomes glossy and stretches from the spoon in long strands. It is served with grilled meat, kubdari or simply with pickles and Svan salt. A common mistake is letting the potatoes cool before adding the cheese; they must be piping hot for the cheese to melt and stretch. Chef's tip: keep the pan on a low heat while you beat, and use a firm wooden spoon. Most sulguni uses animal rennet; choose a vegetarian one or use mozzarella.
Georgian
Jamaican callalooSteamed callaloo greens
In Jamaica, callaloo means the leaves and tender stems of a type of amaranth, sold in big bundles in every market from Coronation Market in Kingston to Santa Cruz in St Elizabeth. It's steamed down with onion, tomato, garlic and thyme into soft, savoury greens with a mild mineral sweetness, and eaten at breakfast with fried dumplings, boiled green bananas or hard dough bread, or as a side at dinner. Spinach or Swiss chard can stand in if you can't find callaloo. Chef's tip: peel the fibrous skin from the thicker stems with a small knife and slice the stems and leaves finely across, about 1 cm wide. That's how Jamaican cooks get callaloo that's tender all the way through rather than stringy.
Jamaican
Yorkshire puddings
In Yorkshire the pudding was once served first, on its own with gravy, to fill people up before the meat; today these puffed, crisp-edged cups sit beside the roast at Sunday lunch all over England. The batter is nothing but eggs, flour and milk, and the trick is in the heat: smoking-hot fat in the tin and a hot oven. Serve with onion gravy for a vegetarian roast. Chef's tip: rest the batter for at least 30 minutes, which helps the puddings rise tall and even.
British