AI-generated image
Managu
Nightshade greens
Managu: Kisii African nightshade greens with onion and tomato
Market women in Kisii and Kakamega sell managu in thick bunches, and in the hills it is the green that goes with ugali at almost every family dinner. The leaves of cultivated African nightshade are soft and pleasantly bitter, a bit like a stronger spinach, and here they are blanched, then cooked down with onion and tomato into a soft, savoury heap. At home many families stir in a spoon of cream at the end; to keep it vegan, use coconut milk as below; buy managu fresh or frozen from African grocers and never gather wild nightshade, as some kinds are poisonous. Using the boiling water as a sauce is a common error: always drain the first boil, or the dish stays harsh. Chef's tip: squeeze the drained leaves firmly in your fist before frying so the tomato flavour soaks in instead of being watered down.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb managu (African nightshade) leavesfresh, stripped from stems, or frozen; or spinach with a little rocket
- 6 ¼ cups waterfor blanching
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp coconut milk (optional)or dairy cream if you don't need it vegan
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash fresh 1 ⅛ lb managu (African nightshade) leaves well in several changes of water.
Step 2: Bring 6 ¼ cups water to the boil, add the leaves and blanch over a high heat until wilted and tender, about 8 minutes (frozen managu 5 minutes; spinach 1 minute).
8 minStep 3: Drain in a colander, let cool slightly, then squeeze out the water with your hands and chop roughly.
Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until soft and golden.
5 minStep 5: Add 2 tomatoes and cook until they soften into a thick sauce.
4 minStep 6: Add the greens and ¾ tsp salt and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until hot through and coated in the tomato.
3 minStep 7: Stir in 4 tbsp coconut milk, if using, and warm for 1 minute. Serve with ugali.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does managu take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
TashmijabiMashed potatoes with stretchy cheese
Potatoes grow well in the cold valleys of Svaneti, and tashmijabi is how families around Mestia turn them into a feast dish: they are mashed hot, then beaten with handfuls of young sulguni until the purée becomes glossy and stretches from the spoon in long strands. It is served with grilled meat, kubdari or simply with pickles and Svan salt. A common mistake is letting the potatoes cool before adding the cheese; they must be piping hot for the cheese to melt and stretch. Chef's tip: keep the pan on a low heat while you beat, and use a firm wooden spoon. Most sulguni uses animal rennet; choose a vegetarian one or use mozzarella.
Georgian
Jamaican callalooSteamed callaloo greens
In Jamaica, callaloo means the leaves and tender stems of a type of amaranth, sold in big bundles in every market from Coronation Market in Kingston to Santa Cruz in St Elizabeth. It's steamed down with onion, tomato, garlic and thyme into soft, savoury greens with a mild mineral sweetness, and eaten at breakfast with fried dumplings, boiled green bananas or hard dough bread, or as a side at dinner. Spinach or Swiss chard can stand in if you can't find callaloo. Chef's tip: peel the fibrous skin from the thicker stems with a small knife and slice the stems and leaves finely across, about 1 cm wide. That's how Jamaican cooks get callaloo that's tender all the way through rather than stringy.
Jamaican
Yorkshire puddings
In Yorkshire the pudding was once served first, on its own with gravy, to fill people up before the meat; today these puffed, crisp-edged cups sit beside the roast at Sunday lunch all over England. The batter is nothing but eggs, flour and milk, and the trick is in the heat: smoking-hot fat in the tin and a hot oven. Serve with onion gravy for a vegetarian roast. Chef's tip: rest the batter for at least 30 minutes, which helps the puddings rise tall and even.
British