The grass is not greener on the other side

Chef and author Nompumelelo Mqwebu is passionate about reviving traditional ingredients. “I don’t mean the traditional colonial diet which includes Aromat, that is not traditional,” she says. “Young chefs think imifino is spinach, but not all spinach is spinach. We eat imifino yezintanga (pumpkin leaves) which contain vitamins, folate and potassium.

“Imbuya is a smaller leaf. Uqadolo (blackjack) we soaked in bicarb to reduce bitterness. Another favourite was sweet potato leaves and the delicious, sticky and starchy yam, amadumbe, which people don’t even know in Johannesburg.”