Umbidvo Wetintsanga (Pumpkin Leaves with Peanuts)
Local name: Umbidvo wetintsanga
In short: A mild, creamy relish of soft pumpkin leaves and ground peanuts, served beside stiff maize porridge in Eswatini. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 225 kcal
Umbidvo wetintsanga is a mild stew of pumpkin leaves and ground peanuts, a home dish in Eswatini that is eaten beside sishwala. The leaves have a prickly texture, so they are stripped of their fibers before cooking, then simmered until soft and finished with a peanut paste that makes the sauce creamy. It is vegetarian, filling, and a good way to use the leaves that grow with the pumpkin vines.
Instructions
- Prepare the leaves. Snap off the stem ends and pull the tough, prickly fibers down from the stems and large veins, as you would string a bean. Rinse well in several changes of water, then chop finely.
- Boil the leaves in a pot of water for 20 minutes, until completely soft. Drain well, pressing out the water with the back of a spoon.
- Heat the oil in a clean pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the leaves, the 250 ml (1 cup) water and the salt, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir the ground peanuts with 120 ml (1/2 cup) water to make a loose paste. Pour it into the pot, stirring.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and creamy and the oil from the peanuts shows at the edges. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Serve hot beside sishwala or other maize porridge.
Tips
- Pumpkin leaves are sold at African markets, and some farmers' markets in summer. Spinach, collard greens or kale make a good substitute, but they need only 10 to 15 minutes in step 2.
- Peanut butter works in place of ground peanuts. Use 6 tbsp (100 g) of the unsweetened kind and mix it with the water before stirring it in.
Questions and answers
Do I really have to remove the fibers from pumpkin leaves?
Yes. The stems and veins are covered in tough, prickly fibers that stay unpleasant even after cooking. Pulling them off takes some patience but makes a soft, silky dish.
Can I make umbidvo wetintsanga ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and thickens as it cools. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Is this dish vegan?
Yes, as written it is made only from leaves, peanuts, onion and oil, so it is vegan and gluten-free.
How long does it take to make Umbidvo Wetintsanga (Pumpkin Leaves with Peanuts)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Umbidvo Wetintsanga (Pumpkin Leaves with Peanuts)?
About 225 kcal per serving, with 10 g of protein, 13 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 225 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 600 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
