Don’t let the name throw you. If you can’t find nipplewort, you can use lamb’s-quarter leaves, spinach or most edible greens. This recipe is delicious whatever you use and is inspired by the delicate spicing of Zanzibari cooking. The flavors all meld to create something more delicious than the sum of its parts, and it’s the perfect complement to polenta (yellow cornmeal). We’d go so far as to say this is one of our favorite recipes for cooked greens.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- Coconut oil for sautéeing
- ½ teaspoon nigella seed (black seed or black cumin)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 200 milliliters (¾ cup) coconut milk
- 200 grams nipplewort or mixed greens (a colander full)
- 1 cup chopped tomato (we like to use cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, for their flavor)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 200 grams polenta (yellow cornmeal)
Preparation
Chop the onion and fry gently in a little coconut oil. When the onion is becoming translucent, add the nigella seed, turmeric, cardamom and garlic, and fry gently for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk, nipplewort and tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes.
Boil 1 liter (1.76 pints) of water, and add the 1½ teaspoons salt and polenta, whisking to remove lumps. Put a lid on and cook gently until done (or follow instructions on your cornmeal—precooked types take hardly any time). When the cornmeal is done, spoon it into a large serving dish or 4 individual bowls and make a hole in the center. Spoon the greens mixture into the hole and serve.
Alternatives: If you don’t have cornmeal, this recipe can also be served with cooked rice, millet or other grains.
