Morogo (Botswana Stewed Leafy Greens)
In short: Leafy greens cooked down with onion and tomato until soft and savory, the everyday Setswana vegetable dish served with porridge or meat. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 135 kcal
Morogo is the Setswana word for leafy greens, and it covers many wild and garden leaves, such as amaranth, bean leaves, pumpkin leaves and spider plant. Cooked simply with onion, tomato and a little oil, it is the everyday vegetable served with bogobe, pap and seswaa. In rural areas the leaves are often cooked and dried to keep through the dry season. Spinach and kale make an easy stand-in for home cooks elsewhere.
Instructions
- Shred the washed leaves into strips about 2 cm (3/4 in) wide. Keep the tougher leaves, such as kale, separate from the tender ones, such as spinach.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and golden, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and mashing, until they soften into a sauce.
- Add the tough greens first, with the salt and water. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, then add the tender greens in handfuls, stirring until they wilt.
- Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until all the leaves are tender. Uncover and cook for 3 minutes to evaporate the extra liquid.
- Taste, adjust the salt and serve hot with bogobe, pap or seswaa.
Tips
- Mix leaves for the best flavor: spinach for softness, kale or collards for body, and amaranth or pumpkin leaves if you can find them at African, Caribbean or Asian markets.
- Start with only a splash of water. The leaves release their own moisture, and a watery morogo loses flavor.
Questions and answers
What is morogo?
Morogo is the Setswana and Sotho name for cooked leafy greens, both wild and cultivated. Common types include amaranth, cowpea and bean leaves, pumpkin leaves and spider plant.
What greens can I use outside Africa?
Spinach, Swiss chard, kale, collards and mustard greens all work. Amaranth (callaloo) and pumpkin leaves are good matches if you can find them.
What do you serve morogo with?
Bogobe, pap or samp are the usual partners, alongside seswaa, a meat stew or fried fish.
How long does it take to make Morogo (Botswana Stewed Leafy Greens)?
About 50 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Morogo (Botswana Stewed Leafy Greens)?
About 135 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 12 g of carbohydrates and 7 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 135 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 340 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
