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Kalembula

Name: Kalembula
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Southern African
Ingredients: 400 g sweet potato leaves; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 onion; 3 tomatoes; 1 tsp salt; 150 ml water; 50 g ground raw peanuts

Sweet potato leaves with groundnuts

Kalembula: Zambian sweet potato leaves cooked with tomato, onion and groundnut powder

Kalembula grows wherever there is a patch of sweet potato, so it is as common in Eastern Province villages as it is in the backyard gardens of Kitwe, and it is usually picked minutes before it is cooked. The heart-shaped leaves are softer than pumpkin leaves and need no peeling; they wilt into a smooth, slightly mucilaginous relish with a pleasant, faintly bitter edge. Here the onion and tomato are fried first into a sweet base, the leaves go in after, and groundnut powder enriches the pot at the finish. Serve beside nshima and beans, or with fried kapenta for the non-vegetarians in the house. Overcooking turns it olive-drab and mushy, so stop as soon as the leaves are tender. Chef's tip: shred the leaves very finely, almost like a chiffonade, so they cook in minutes and stay green.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4
Per serving: 120 kcal

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Ingredients

Serves4

14 oz sweet potato leavesfrom African or Asian grocers; tough stalks removed
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onionthinly sliced
3 tomatoeschopped
1 tsp salt
¾ cup water
1 ¾ oz ground raw peanutsgroundnut flour

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Sunflower oilBake and Tango 100% Pure Sunflower Oil (33.8 Fl Oz)
SaltMorton, Iodized Salt, 26 Ounce, 26 oz

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raw peanuts

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Method

0/7 done

Step 1: Wash 14 oz sweet potato leaves in two changes of cold water, stack them, roll them up tightly and slice into very thin shreds.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until soft and just starting to colour.
5 min
Step 3: Add 3 tomatoes and 1 tsp salt and cook, mashing with the spoon, until they collapse into a thick, jammy base.
6 min
Step 4: Add the shredded leaves and ½ cup water, stir well, cover and cook over a medium-low heat until wilted and tender but still bright green.
5 min
Step 5: Whisk 1 ¾ oz ground raw peanuts with the rest of ¼ cup water to a thin cream and stir it into the pan.
Step 6: Simmer uncovered, stirring, until the relish is thick and creamy and the nutty raw taste has cooked out.
4 min
Step 7: Taste for salt and serve straight away with nshima.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 120 kcal
Protein: 6 g
Carbs: 9 g
Fat: 8 g
Fibre: 4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does kalembula 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).

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