Sweet Potato leaf Stew / Matembela
Description
Potato Leaf Stew, Matembele” is among the favorite stews, an undiscovered treasure waiting to be found and my favorite way of eating leafy green stews..
Ingredients
- 5 bundles of fresh sweet potato leaves matembele, each bundle weighing about 1 kg / 2 lb. Discard the stems and use only the leaves.
- 1 kg / 2 lb 4 oz onions finely chopped
- 1 whole chicken about 1.5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz
- 3 –4 red pili-pili peppers or red habaneros, or to taste
- ¾ cup palm oil
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
For the broth:
- 1 onion
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Wash the chicken and drain. Place it in a pot, add enough water to cover the chicken, and place over high heat.
- Spoon off the scum as it appears. Once the water reaches a boil, add the onion, cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to fall off the bone.
- In the meantime, wash, drain, and roughly chop the sweet potato leaves.
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon. Debone the chicken and cut the meat into medium-sized pieces. Set the broth aside.
- Add the palm oil to a large stockpot and place over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Add the chopped sweet potato leaves in batches, continuing to stir and toss as you sauté them.
- Pour 3 cups of the chicken broth over the wilted sweet potato leaves. Season with salt and add the whole red peppers.
- Add the chicken pieces and chicken bouillon, and stir well.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours.
- Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Serve with plain rice or fufu.
Notes
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