Image Credit: Serious Eats

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 bunches of amaranth leaves
• 1 g limestone
• 2 large onions
• 3 large smoked fish (cod or herring preferred)
• Dried shrimps (optional)
• 1/4 litre refined vegetable oil
• 4 – 5 large tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large leek (white part)
• Seasoning (stock cubes, salt, pepper)

 

Preparation

• Sort, wash, and cut the amaranth leaves into small pieces.
• Dilute the 1 g of limestone in a cup of hot water and filter to avoid grit in the vegetables.
• In a pot, heat 1.5 – 2 liters of water, pour in the limestone liquid and add the amaranth leaves. Cook until the leaves soften, stirring from time to time.
• When the leaves are sufficiently soft, remove from the fire, drain in a strainer, and rinse with cool water. Squeeze out the water and shape the leaves into balls.
• Chop onions and tomato.
• Crush together garlic and leek.
• Soak smoked fish and dried shrimps in water to soften.

 

Cooking

• Heat the vegetable oil in a pan.
• Add onions and cook until they begin to brown.
• Add tomatoes, then season with salt and seasonings.
• When the tomato has cooked down, add crushed garlic and leek, then gradually add amaranth while mixing well.
• Simmer a few minutes, taste and adjust seasoning.

Optional: Add carrots, French beans, or sweet pepper. The amaranth also can be fried with meat or dried shrimps. Serve with plantains, cocoyam, yams or cassava

Source: Chagomoka T, Kamga R, Tenkouano A, Mecozzi M. 2014. Traditional Vegetables: Recipes from Cameroon. AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center. Shanhua, Taiwan. Publication 14-779. 55 p.