Eviness Nkumba’s Dried Okra Leaves, Malawi style
“This is a typical Malawian dish which I love to cook.”
Eviness Nkumba, 500 miles orthopaedic technician
Eviness Nkumba’s Dried Okra Leaves, Malawi style
Eviness is the longest serving orthopaedic technician at the 500 miles Prosthetic & Orthotic Centre in Mzuzu which will be handed over to Mzuzu Central Hospital on 1 July. As well as being a reliable, knowledgeable and proficient technician, Eviness is a carpenter – she made some of the furniture in the centre – a painter – she helped to paint the centre, ready for handover – and a cook!
We asked Eviness to share a typical, traditional Malawian recipe with us, using local ingredients and she came up with this one, using the dried leaves of the okra plant which grows all over Malawi.
Nsima is Malawi’s staple carbohydrate which accompanies most meals in Malawi. It is a cornmeal porridge made with maize flour.
Ingredients (serves one)
Water – 300ml
Bicarbonate of soda, ½ teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Okra leaves – 1 large cup
Tomatoes – 2 of medium size chopped
Onion – 1 small chopped
Ground nut flour – 200g
Method
- Bring the water to a boil in a small pan.
- Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt (according to person’s taste) to the boiling water.
- Add the okra while the water is still boiling.
- Then add the tomatoes, onion and last the flour and stir vigorously.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve hot with nsima
