Finger-licking pumpkin leaves
◆ 1 bunch mutikiti/muboora (pumpkin
leaves)
◆ 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
◆ 1 tsp salt
◆ 4 tbsp pure vegetable oil
◆ 500 ml boiling water
◆ 2 tomatoes (chopped)
◆ 1/2 onion (chopped)
It is important to give muboora a thorough wash before cooking it as it usually has quite a bit of mud or soil on its leaves. ◆ With your muboora, tomatoes and onions ready, begin washing your muboora. Give the leaves a thorough wash until you’re satisfied that they are clean.
◆ Break part of the stem and pull off the silk from the pumpkin leaves. Do this one leaf at a time. In Shona we call this kufurura.
◆ After kufurura, cut your pumpkin leaves up. Put the boiling water in a pot and add bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp. Close the pot and bring the pot to a boil. ◆ Add your cut up pumpkin leaves to the boiling water and close the pot. Bring to the boil for five minutes, stirring occasionally in between. After five minutes drain your pumpkin leaves in a colander.
◆ Give your pot a quick rinse (do not rinse the pumpkin leaves) then return the pumpkin leaves to the pot. Add cooking oil (4 tbsp), salt (1 tsp), onions and tomatoes. Stir, reduce heat, close pot and let simmer until tomatoes and onions are cooked through (about 10 minutes).
4 heaped teaspoons of peanut butter (dovi)
After draining your pumpkin leaves in a colander and giving your pot a quick rinse, return the pumpkin leaves and add the peanut butter and salt.
Turn off the stove and allow the residual heat to do the rest. There is no need to let it simmer as you will kill the nutritional benefits from the peanut butter.
Your pumpkin leaves are done. Serve with sadza and your favourite relish or just as is. Enjoy!