African spinach, also known as amaranth or "callaloo", is a leafy green vegetable that is widely consumed in many African countries and is prized for its distinct flavor and versatility. It is a popular ingredient in various stews, soups, and side dishes, offering a range of culinary possibilities. This article delves into the world of African spinach, exploring its health benefits, diverse culinary applications, and providing readers with guidance on selecting the freshest leaves and preparing them for cooking. Whether you're a seasoned chef seeking inspiration for a flavorful dish or a home cook seeking to expand your culinary horizons, this article will provide you with insights into the vibrant flavors and versatility of African spinach.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW WITH SWEET POTATO & SPINACH
Sweet potatoes, peanut butter, spinach, cumin ... the comforting combo results in the heartiest, most flavorful vegan stew around.
Provided by Kare for Kitchen Treaty
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- While the rice cooks, make the stew. Set a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the stew comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the peanut butter and the spinach. Stew is done when the peanut butter has distributed and the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
- Serve with a scoop of brown rice and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 470 kcal, Sugar 10 g, Sodium 530 mg, Fat 21 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Carbohydrate 60 g, Fiber 10 g, Protein 15 g, ServingSize 1 serving
NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND SPINACH STEW
This dish is my mother's interpretation of a meal we had at a friend's birthday party when we were young. We came home raving about it and had to try making it for ourselves!
Provided by Jazz Smollett-Warwell
Categories HarperCollins HarperCollins Dinner Chicken Soup/Stew Stew Spinach Paprika Oregano Rice Cinnamon Garlic
Yield 4-6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- PLACE the chicken in a large pot and cover it with water. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and bay leaves and season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
- REMOVE the chicken to a deep dish or bowl and let it drain. Strain the stock into a large bowl or pan and set aside. Transfer the vegetables from the strainer to a blender (remove the bay leaves), add the garlic, and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.
- TO make the spinach stew, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. When it's bubbling slightly, add the vegetable puree. Warm it through, about 2 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and the cinnamon stick, then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved stock and bring to a simmer. Cook to let the flavors develop, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and keep warm (remove the cinnamon stick before serving).
- MEANWHILE, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, pat it completely dry and break it down into 8 pieces: 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 breasts, then split the breasts in half. Place the chicken pieces in a large dish. Combine the granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika, cayenne, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Completely coat the chicken in this dry rub.
- MELT the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear until charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- SERVE the chicken with rice and a generous ladle of spinach stew. Squeeze lemon over the plate if desired.
AFRICAN SPINACH
A west African recipe. Use as a side dish or serve over rice or couscous as a vegetarian main dish.
Provided by Parsley
Categories Low Cholesterol
Time 15m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook onion and green pepper in peanut oil in a skillet for about 3-5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add spinach and tomato to skillet.
- Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, or until spinach is tender.
- Stir in all remaining ingredients. Cook until hot throughout.
- Serving suggestion: Server with hot cooked rice or couscous.
AFRICAN SPINACH AND PEANUT BUTTER STEW
Found online at www.fooddownunder.com, while looking for economical 'African' recipes. Tasty and nutritious, a vegetarian main dish or a good side dish. You could easily add garlic, cooking it with the onions, add some mushrooms, adding with the tomatoes, and I think some chilli, fresh, powdered or flaked, would also add a bit of spice to this very versatile dish!
Provided by Karen Elizabeth
Categories Stew
Time 25m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Slice the onions and fry in oil until soft.
- Peel the tomatoes in boiling water (or use tinned tomatoes). Slice and add to the onions.
- Wash, trim and chop the spinach coarsely.
- Add to the stew and cook, covered, over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Thin the peanut butter with hot water to make a smooth paste.
- Add to the stew.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring and adding water if necessary to prevent sticking.
- Serve over steamed rice, polenta, or mashed potatoes, in fact, you could eat it with anything, really!
AFRICAN SPINACH AND GROUNDNUT STEW (AKA PEANUT, KENYA/TANZANIA)
This is from "Best of Regional African Cooking". The original calls for 1/2 c. finely ground unsalted peanuts. That's too much work, so I substituted peanut butter. This is a very thick, rich vegetable side. It is not a stew like we think of stews in the US. My husband liked it, and it is the only spinach dish he will eat.
Provided by Debbie R.
Categories < 30 Mins
Time 25m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Saute onions and chili pepper in oil until onion is transparent.
- Add peanut butter and coconut milk slowly, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Add spinach. Salt to taste.
- Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until spinach is cooked.
MCHICHA (EAST AFRICAN SPINACH
Make and share this Mchicha (East African Spinach recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Chocolatl
Categories Spinach
Time 30m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place spinach and salt in a heavy 4-5 quart casserole.
- Cover tightly and cook over medium heat until spinach is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain spinach, squeezing it completely dry a handful at a time.
- Chop coarsely and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat.
- Add onions and chilies and cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk and peanuts and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.
- Reduce heat to its lowest point.
- Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook until heated through, 4-5 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 485.3, Fat 27.6, SaturatedFat 16.4, Cholesterol 15.3, Sodium 841.9, Carbohydrate 55.8, Fiber 7.4, Sugar 40.8, Protein 10.8
SPINACH - (M'CHICHA) - EAST AFRICAN
This is another recipe from the web, which I found for our ZWT 7 - for Africa, which I have not tried. The addition of chopped peanuts to the spinach gives it a delightful crunchiness, the grated coconut is an unexpected flavor.
Provided by Baby Kato
Categories Breakfast
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a 2-quart saucepan add the butter and saute the onions and peanuts until lightly browned.
- Next add the chopped spinach and saute until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the salt and tabasco and serve with poached or scrambled eggs.
- Top with grated coconut if using.
SEASONED AFRICAN SPINACH
I don't know why this recipe is African. It came to me from a friend in Pennsylvania, who has no African roots that I know of. It can be a complete, vegetarian meal served with rice, or a more protein-rich meal with the addition of a chicken breast. Preparation time does not include cooking rice.
Provided by Aimee88
Categories Vegetable
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook onion and pepper in the oil in a large pot or skillet for about 3-5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add spinach and tomato. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the spinach is tender.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook until hot throughout.
- Serve over rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 103.7, Fat 7.7, SaturatedFat 1.4, Sodium 228.7, Carbohydrate 6.9, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 2.5, Protein 4.1
Tips:
- When choosing spinach for your recipes, opt for fresh, young leaves with a deep green color. Avoid wilted or yellowing leaves, as they may have a bitter taste.
- Before cooking, thoroughly wash the spinach to remove any dirt or debris. You can do this by submerging the spinach in a large bowl of cold water and swishing it around gently. Then, drain the water and repeat the process until the water runs clear.
- To remove excess water from the spinach, you can use a salad spinner or gently squeeze the leaves between your hands. This will help to prevent the spinach from becoming watery when cooked.
- When cooking spinach, use only a small amount of oil or butter. Spinach is a naturally moist vegetable, so you don't need to add a lot of fat to cook it.
- Cook spinach quickly over medium-high heat. This will help to preserve the spinach's bright green color and nutrients.
- Season the spinach with salt, pepper, and other desired spices to taste. You can also add other ingredients, such as garlic, onion, or tomatoes, to create a more flavorful dish.
- Spinach is a versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, salads, and stir-fries. It can also be used as a filling for pies, quiches, and omelets.
Conclusion:
African spinach is a delicious and nutritious leafy green vegetable that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and it can help to boost your immune system and improve your overall health. If you're looking for a healthy and flavorful way to add more greens to your diet, African spinach is a great option.
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