Doodo

Ingredients

Greens

• 500 gamaranth leaves
• 1onion, chopped
• 2tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbspoil
• 250 mlwater
• 1 tspsalt
• black pepper

To thicken

• 3 tbspgroundnut paste

To serve

• posho
• matoke
• rice

Directions

1. Strip the leaves and the tender growing tips from the stems, discarding the thick lower stalks, which stay stringy however long they are cooked.
2. Wash the leaves in several changes of water, because amaranth grows low to the ground and holds a great deal of grit.
3. Chop the leaves roughly, keeping them coarse, because they collapse to a fraction of their volume once they hit the pan.
4. Fry the onion in the oil for 8 minutes until soft, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes into a rough sauce.
5. Add the chopped leaves with a splash of water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until they have wilted right down.
6. Slake the groundnut paste with a ladleful of the hot liquid from the pan, whisking it completely smooth before it goes anywhere near the pot.
7. Added straight to the pot the paste seizes into lumps that never disperse. Loosening it first is the whole trick and it takes ten seconds.
8. Stir the loosened paste through, add the remaining water, and simmer for 10 minutes until it thickens.
9. Season with salt and pepper and serve with posho, matoke or rice as an everyday relish.

Technique

• Groundnut paste is what turns a plate of greens into a proper relish, and it is used across Uganda for exactly that.
• Amaranth is gathered from gardens as much as bought, and the young leaves are far better than the mature ones.
• Do not overcook it after the paste goes in. It thickens fast and can catch.

Substitutions

• Spinach or Swiss chard in place of amaranth.
• Smooth peanut butter with no added sugar, thinned the same way.

Variations

• With simsim, sesame paste, instead of groundnut.
• With dried fish added at the start.
• Cooked plain with just onion and tomato, which is the everyday version.

History

A green eaten across Uganda, gathered wild in gardens and cooked as everyday relish with posho.

Frequently asked questions

What is Doodo?

Doodo is a salad & side from Uganda: amaranth leaves stewed with onion, tomato and groundnut paste. A green eaten across Uganda, gathered wild in gardens and cooked as everyday relish with posho.

How long does Doodo take to make?

Doodo takes 20 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Doodo?

Yes, within limits. Spinach or Swiss chard in place of amaranth. Smooth peanut butter with no added sugar, thinned the same way.

What is the most important thing to get right in Doodo?

Added straight to the pot the paste seizes into lumps that never disperse. Loosening it first is the whole trick and it takes ten seconds.