Pumpkin leaves vegetable isn’t strange in Africa; different cultures refer to them differently. We call it Susa at home in Kenya, and it’s the one veggie that, when prepared right, you won’t be looking for meats. So, do you cook it at home? In this article, we show you how to cook pumpkin leaves.
First, I set to make it the traditional way because this is one of our authentic and traditional meals. The best one is where you can pluck it from the garden outdoors in the village. I mean, it’s fresh and planted the conventional way, so it will still be rich and healthy.
Of course, if you go to the markets in the major cities, you will find pumpkin leaves but best believe nothing beats the taste of homegrown veggies.
This is how it looks in the garden, and most then, we need just to pluck before you set out to cook. Well, if you don’t have it in the garden, you can buy it in the grocery stores or markets.
Why do most people eat pumpkin leaves?
It’s healthy and yet easier to make. We want to reap the beneficial nutrients and enjoy the deliciousness. We like it because it’s healthy and has the much-needed nutrients in the body.
Pumpkin greens are rich in iron content, calcium, and also fiber. The best part is that you will even have vitamins A & B.
- It will help in the promotion of heart health
- It will numb and help alleviate primary rheumatoid arthritis.
- It will help with your bone health
- You will have it supporting your immune health
- It’s an antioxidant that makes it easy to curb chronic diseases.
- It will help to promote weight loss.
Aside from the health benefits we show, you can be sure it’s easy to make but also outrightly delicious and versatile. You can use it alongside the other different meals.
How to cook pumpkin leaves
It happens to be one of the easiest veggies to cook, but not many people still include it in their diet. Here is pumpkin leaves my way.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin leaves
- Baking soda
- Water
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Royco cubes and salt
- Milk/cream
Method
1. Remove the stringy white flesh
The first thing is to peel off the stringy white flesh from the back and the inside of the leaves. Start from the stem and then to the green leaves part. I know some people don’t remove the peels, but we do.
2. Wash it
Now wash it clean, ensuring you get rid of all the soil, dirt, and debris. This is an important step as we don’t want to eat the soil in the veggies.
My easiest way is to get a basin full of water and then set the veggie inside. Toss and turn the veggies in the basin and then allow them to settle for about five minutes. Then, use the decantation method to do with the soil. This will let the debris sink. Take your time to make sure it’s fully cleaned.
3. Cut the leaves
Notice that we have not cut it yet, so now you can cut it to your preferred size and set it in the saucepan.
4. Add baking soda
Now add baking soda. A half teaspoon or a teaspoon will do just fine, but it mostly depends on whether you are cooking a lot of it. Notice that we don’t want the veggie to break into soup fully, but we want it to soften.
5. Add water and cook
Add 2-3 cups of water and then let it boil. This should take about 10 minutes to cook. It’s cooked when it’s softer, and then you can see the frothy foam forming.
6. Chop the other veggies
Now drain the excess water and set aside. Meanwhile, chop the onions, tomatoes, and any other veggies. I like to use spring onions for the richer flavor just because I don’t use garlic in this. However, if you want, add gar;ic for more taste.
7. To fry it
Set another clean saucepan, and then add ghee, vegetable, or palm oil to fry the Susa. Traditionally we didn’t use vegetable oil. We mostly used ghee, and there will be a difference in flavor if you use it. If you don’t have one, use vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or palm oil.
Add onions and allow to cook until it turns golden brown.
Add the tomatoes to cook down now, and then you can add your favorite spice. Keynote, we don’t want to add loads of zest to this. Suppose you can do without the better. However, I sometimes add the Royco cubes or veggie mix to enrich the flavor.
8. Add the boiled Susa
Once cooked then, you can add in the soft-boiled ‘Susa.’ Let’s keep tossing and turning to ensure all the content mixes right. Remember, it mostly has some water, so you don’t want to add water. Cover and let it cook for about three minutes.
9. Enrich with milk
Finally, add in your favorite milk or, better yet, cooking cream. This will differ from the other types of pumpkin leaves you have eaten elsewhere. We like to add a cup of milk, and I know it might be strange for some people, but it’s rich when you cook it this way.
Now cover it and cook for about 4 minutes.
It’s ready, and now you can serve it with your favorite ugali. Enjoy your dinner.
@edelquinn23 Easy Good Friday dinner. let’s make Pumpkin leaves/Susa with Ugali. #traditional #easyrecipe #fyp ♬ original sound – Edel
Tips for cooking pumpkin leaves
If you don’t focus on the recipe, you may not make it as nice as we do. Try with a small quantity first; then, you can go on making more.
You can use baking powder too in place of baking soda or what we used to refer to as ‘thudho.’ Traditionally we didn’t even use baking soda. We just used thudho (adding some cooking ash and water to a container, then covering it and allowing it to stay for days).
You don’t have to spice the vegetable. It’s the one meal we eat without adding too many spices. However, if you like your veggie seasoned, then go ahead.
FAQs
Can we eat pumpkin leaves?
As you can see, this is a major vegetable, especially in Africa. It’s rich in nutrients but also tasty, so you should all start adding to your diet.
What do the pumpkin greens taste like?
Notice that by adding cream or milk, you already make it creamy and delicious. It’s not bitter, and of course, if you like the milky flavor, then most likely, you are going to enjoy this one too. This particular one is almost our go-to in Kenya, especially when you don’t want to add meat to your meal that day.
I call it my all-time favorite style of greens, and the best part is that you can almost access pumpkins wherever you are if you grow pumpkins.
Can I use coconut instead of milk?
I know a few African cultures who use coconut instead of using milk, so whatever works for you is great. Coconut also gives the best creamy flavors, and you will enjoy it. For us, though, traditionally, we added milk or cream.
Is it okay not to add milk?
Of course, sometimes we eat it just as it is without adding milk, and it’s still tasty. Traditionally though, we sued to add milk to our veggies, and of course, we grew up still adding milk to our vegetables. It’s just better.
What of the leftovers?
Susa tends to get spoilt faster. So remember to cook enough for the richer flavors if you have leftovers, then set it in a container and put it into the fridge. But make sure you eat it within two days.
In a nutshell, it’s easy to cook pumpkin leaves. You don’t have to be African to cook and enjoy it; You can always try my easy recipe above.