Fumbwa

Ingredients

• 300 g fumbwa leaves, finely shredded, fresh or frozen, or use 400 g shredded collard greens
• 180 g smoked mackerel or smoked catfish, skin and bones removed
• 100 g salted dried fish, soaked and rinsed, optional
• 3/4 cup (180 g) smooth unsweetened peanut butter, or 150 g ground roasted peanuts
• 4 tbsp red palm oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli, left whole
• 700 ml water, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Before you cook

• If using dried salted fish, cover it with cold water and soak it for 1 hour, then drain and rinse it well.
• Roll the fumbwa leaves into tight bundles and shred them as finely as you can into long threads.
• Flake the smoked fish into large pieces and pick out any bones.
• Whisk the peanut butter with 200 ml of the water until it is a smooth, pourable paste.
• Chop the onion, tomatoes and garlic.

Steps

1. Put the shredded fumbwa into a pot with 500 ml of water and a pinch of salt.
2. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the leaves soften and lose their raw squeak.
3. Heat the palm oil in a wide pan over medium heat until it turns bright orange and fluid.
4. Add the onion and fry for 7 minutes until soft and golden.
5. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes, pressing them down, until they collapse into a thick red base.
7. Tip the fumbwa and its cooking liquid into the pan and stir well.
8. Add the smoked fish and the soaked salted fish and fold them through gently.
9. Pour in the peanut paste and stir until the stew turns a uniform dull green-brown.
10. Drop in the whole scotch bonnet and season with the salt and pepper.
11. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the stew is thick and a slick of red oil pools at the surface.
12. Fish out the chilli, taste for salt, and serve with rice, fufu or plantain.