One of the most common meals you will find across the globe is the sweet potato and how fiber rich this is. But this was and still is a gem regarding African food in Africa. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also versatile. So let’s cook sweet potato with groundnut sauce.
Africa has always delivered richly nutritious food, and of course, this is one such option that you should try. What’s more, we use the foods direct from our gardens, and what better way to ensure you only eat healthy foods?
How to cook sweet potatoes
One of the easiest-to-cook meals is sweet potatoes; no wonder it was quite popular in the past. There are different methods to use in cooking them. Traditionally we used to boil them and then, of course, eat them alongside the groundnut sauce or nyuka (porridge).
The boiling method
- Sweet potatoes
- Water
- Salt
Method
Wash the sweet potatoes and then peel them to ensure they don’t have any bad parts. If you’re sure of them, you can make them without really peeling off; instead, boil them directly. I like to peel it and then cut it to bite-size or sometimes leave it as it is.
Place it in the saucepan and then add 3 cups of water. Then you can add a pinch of salt and cover. In this, use the proper lid that doesn’t allow air out. In the past, we would use banana leaves to cover our pots. Today though, we use the top because you can’t easily find the leaves then.
Set the pot or saucepan on fire/heat source. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the gas or the stone fire. It always works. Allow it to cook for up to 20 minutes. Then, you can check for tenderness. With this, you will have it show you whether it’s cooked.
Serve hot with your favorite side dish.
Baking sweet potato
Today though, I see so many people using the baking method. It’s easier for them; of course, you get to eat it alongside other foods when you bake it.
Start by preheating the oven to 250C
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, and then you can prick them with a fork if you want to spice them just a little.
Now place the sweet potatoes on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add on whichever spice you want, then set it in the oven to bake for 45- 60mins.
Check whether it’s cooked using a knife, and if it goes in without resistance, it’s all cooked.
To enjoy some nutritious root vegetables, have them in these sweet potatoes.
Roasting
Another traditional method that was common among the different African tribes was roasting. Most tribes used just to set the potatoes on the open flame and then let them cook. In this case, you are again reaching for the tenderness to ensure it’s fully cooked.
Depending on their origins, they serve sweet potatoes as a side dish or a main meal.
Once you are done cooking the sweet potatoes, you can cook the groundnut sauce.
How to make groundnut sauce
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Let’s talk about groundnut sauce, a traditional African sauce common in most East African countries. Traditionally, we didn’t need to spice it up, but today you can make alterations to fit our taste buds.
It was a common meal among the Luhyas and Luos of Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. Today it remains quite common in Uganda, although we still eat it alongside meat, fish, veggies, and more.
Ingredients
- 500gms of groundnuts
- Water
- Cayenne
- Royco cubes
- Salt
- Onions (white and spring)
Methods
Roast the peanuts in the oven and at 180C for 10 minutes or on your stovetop. And then remove the peels, and don’t skip this part. There’s a difference when you use the peeled and the unpeeled.
Set the nuts into your food processor or the blender to grind. Allow it to grind and leave it in the powder form or add some water to form a paste.
Now, set the paste in a bowl and whisk or stir to make it smooth as you add water a little at a time. Allow it to form the liquid paste of the pancake consistency.
Set the content in the saucepan and onto the heated sauce. Remember, we will cook it by simmering it to allow it to cook into a sauce.
You should cook it for about ten minutes at the lowest heat. You will notice the shiny, oily parts on the side.
Now add your chopped onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and any other veggies you would like. Also, add the Royco cubes, cayenne, salt, and any other spice you choose. Allow it to simmer for another 5 minutes.
Now it’s thick and ready to serve. If you want, you can also reduce the thickness by adding more water.
Traditionally we would always serve it with sweet potatoes for lunch, breakfast, or even dinner.
Note that groundnut sauce is versatile, and you can use it alongside several other meals.
FAQs
Is this meal healthy?
Of course, the meal is healthy. You have a blend of nutritious, fibrous root vegetables blended with plant-based protein. It also delivers just the right fats; remember, we didn’t add oil.
Isn’t it too heavy?
If you aren’t used to it, you will find it heavy but nice and tasty so you won’t notice the difference. Traditionally we used to eat it while going plowing. This meant that we needed more energy to plow.
This meal was not only healthy, but it was also energy-giving for us. Our ancestors knew that we needed this.
Will it benefit me today?
Of course, it’s nourishing and different from our other foods. Mind you, you are eating plant foods that will rarely harm you and are nutritious. Again this shows you that we have great foods that are tasty and healthy.
Is it different when cooked in pots traditionally?
Of course, everything you cook in the pots and the three-stone fire means it attains a smoky flavor making it even better. We can still cook it modern because it’s hard to find pots today, but you can also use the traditional way.