Nhangana com Coco (Cowpea Leaves with Coconuts) is a traditional Mozambican recipe for a classic vegetarian dish of cowpea leaves cooked in a coconut milk base with tomatoes, lemon juice and spices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Mozambican version of: Cowpea Leaves with Coconuts (Nhangana com Coco).
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Ingredients:
1kg cowpea leaves (nhangana)
1 coconut
1.5l water
1 tsp salt
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and minced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
3 large tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
juice of 1 lemon
oil for frying
Method:
Wash the nhangana and finely shred the leaves. Bring the water to a boil, season with salt then stir in the cowpea leaves.
Use the coconut to prepare coconut milk (see the coconut milk preparation recipe for how to do this). Make two milks from the flesh, a thick and a thin one.
Heat a little oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and fry for 4 minutes before adding the tomatoes.
When the nhanga leaves are tender (about 20 minutes), drain them then then stir into the tomato mixture along with the thick coconut milk and the turmeric and coriander sees. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, adding the thin coconut milk, as needed.
Take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, adjust the seasonings and serve.
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