Sanga

Ingredients

Corn

• 8 earsof fresh corn, kernels stripped
• or 800 g frozen sweetcorn

Greens

• 500 ghuckleberry leaves, njama njama
• or 500 g spinach or kale
• 1 teaspoonsalt, for boiling

To cook

• 150 mlred palm oil
• 2onions, chopped
• 4garlic cloves, chopped
• 1stock cube
• 1chilli, chopped
• salt to taste
• water, as needed

To serve

• boiled plantain
• or on its own as a side

Directions

1. Press a kernel with your thumbnail. A milky liquid should come out. Strip the kernels off the cobs with a knife. Stand each cob upright in a bowl. Cut downward along the whole cob. Keep that liquid, since it thickens the dish. Preparing the greens takes some work.
2. Wash the leaves thoroughly in several waters. Pick them off any thick stems. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the leaves and boil them for ten minutes. Drain them and squeeze out the water. Chop them roughly once drained.
3. Put the kernels in a pot with a little water. Add just enough to stop them catching. Bring it to a simmer and cover it. Cook for about fifteen minutes. The kernels should be completely tender.
4. Mash it roughly with a wooden pestle or masher. Some kernels should stay whole. Heat the palm oil in a wide pot. Warm it gently rather than fiercely. Fry the onions until soft and golden. Add the garlic and the chilli. Cook them for about one minute.
5. Add the chopped boiled greens. Stir them through the oil for three minutes. Stir everything together thoroughly. Add the stock cube and season with salt.
6. Add a splash of water if it is very stiff. Cook it for ten minutes over a low heat. Stir it often so it does not catch. The palm oil should coat everything evenly.
7. Add water a little at a time if needed. Taste it and adjust the salt again. Serving it is always done hot. Spoon it into a bowl or onto a plate. It keeps two days refrigerated.

Technique

• Njama njama, African nightshade, is one of the most widely eaten leafy greens in Cameroon and is sold fresh in every market.
• Its bitterness is expected and is reduced rather than eliminated by boiling.

Substitutions

• Spinach or kale can replace huckleberry leaves, though neither has the same bitterness.
• Frozen sweetcorn replaces fresh corn, though the milky liquid from fresh cobs is missed.

Variations

• Some households add smoked fish or crayfish powder.
• A version with more palm oil is richer and darker.
• Corn chaff is a related Cameroonian dish using dried corn and beans.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sanga?

Sanga is a salad & side from Cameroon: fresh corn mashed with huckleberry leaves and palm oil.

How long does Sanga take to make?

Sanga takes 30 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Sanga?

Yes, within limits. Spinach or kale can replace huckleberry leaves, though neither has the same bitterness. Frozen sweetcorn replaces fresh corn, though the milky liquid from fresh cobs is missed.

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

Press a kernel with your thumbnail. A milky liquid should come out. Strip the kernels off the cobs with a knife. Stand each cob upright in a bowl. Cut downward along the whole cob. Keep that liquid, since it thickens the dish. Preparing the greens takes some work.