-
1
Fry the Onion and Tomato
8 Mins
Medium heat, ~160°C (320°F)
Heat the peanut oil in a large pot, fry the onion for 3 minutes until soft, then add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more until they collapse and the oil turns orange at the edges.
Cooking the tomatoes down first takes away their raw edge.
Done when: The base is soft, red and fragrant.
-
2
Add the Vegetables and Water
5 Mins
High heat, ~200°C (390°F)
Add the sweet potato, cabbage, spinach and pumpkin leaves with the water, pushing the greens down into the pot — they look like far too much at first, then wilt down. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down.
Do not add more water: the leaves give off plenty of their own.
Done when: The greens have wilted to half their volume and the sweet potato is starting to soften.
-
3
Simmer Until Tender
12 Mins
Medium-low heat, ~120°C (250°F)
Cover loosely and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks, until the sweet potato is tender and the leaves are soft and dark green.
Stir from the bottom — the base can catch while the leaves sit on top.
Done when: Sweet potato crushes easily with a spoon; the greens are soft, not stringy.
-
4
Stir in the Peanut Sauce
10 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Stir the ground peanuts into the pot a little at a time, then simmer gently for 8 minutes more, stirring often, until the sauce turns thick, creamy and pale brown. Season with salt, a little at a time, tasting as you go.
Peanut sauce scorches quietly underneath — keep the heat low and keep stirring.
Done when: The sauce coats the greens and holds its shape on a spoon.
-
5
Rest and Serve with Nshima
5 Mins
Serve hot, ~70°C (158°F)
Rest the pot off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, then ladle the ifisashi beside mounds of nshima and serve at once.
Serve the ifisashi beside the nshima, not mixed in — everyone takes as much sauce as they like.
Done when: The plate is steaming, the sauce glossy, the greens soft.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Let the pot rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving — the peanut sauce thickens slightly and the flavours settle. A handful of roughly chopped roasted peanuts scattered over the top adds the crunch Zambian cooks love.
Zambia
50m
France
Vietnam