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Mchicha
Amaranth greens with peanut
Mchicha: Dar es Salaam amaranth greens with tomato and a creamy ground-peanut finish
Bundles of mchicha (amaranth leaves) are stacked high at Kariakoo market in Dar es Salaam, and almost every Tanzanian family cooks them a few times a week, often as the vegetable beside ugali and maharage. The leaves wilt quickly into something silkier and earthier than spinach, and a spoonful of ground peanuts turns the tomato juices into a creamy, nutty sauce. Look for amaranth leaves (also sold as callaloo, chauli or bayam) at African, Caribbean or Asian grocers; baby spinach works if you cannot find them. Overcooking is the main thing to avoid: take them off the heat while still deep green. Chef's tip: toast the peanuts in a dry pan before grinding them; raw peanuts taste beany in the finished dish.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz raw unsalted peanuts
- 1 ⅛ lb amaranth leaves (mchicha)shop-bought; thick stems removed, washed well and chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 ripe tomatoeschopped
- ¾ tsp salt
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 1 ¾ oz raw unsalted peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat, shaking often, until they smell nutty and the skins blister. Cool, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or pound in a mortar.
5 minStep 2: Wash 1 ⅛ lb amaranth leaves (mchicha) in two changes of water, lifting the leaves out so grit stays behind, then drain well.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic until soft and translucent.
4 minStep 4: Add 2 ripe tomatoes and ¾ tsp salt and cook until the tomatoes have softened into a loose sauce.
3 minStep 5: Add the greens in handfuls, stirring each lot until it wilts before adding more. Cook until just tender and still deep green.
4 minStep 6: Mix the ground peanuts with 80 ml warm water, stir into the pan and simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce turns creamy and coats the leaves. Serve with ugali or rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mchicha take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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