Morogo

About This Recipe

Morogo refers to a wide range of indigenous leafy vegetables — cowpea leaves, wild spinach, and amaranth are the most common — cooked down with onion, tomato, and a little oil into a rich, glossy side dish. It is the green accompaniment to almost every Botswanan meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gcowpea leaves or baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 mediumtomatoes, diced
• 1 largeonion, finely sliced
• 2 tbspsunflower oil
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté onion

   Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Fry onion until soft and starting to colour, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Add tomato

   Add diced tomato and cook down for 5 minutes until jammy.

3. 3

   Add greens

   Add the morogo leaves in batches, stirring each addition down before adding more. Season with salt.

4. 4

   Simmer and serve

   Cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes until tender and any excess liquid has reduced. Serve alongside bogobe and seswaa.

Variations

• •

  Mixed morogo (three or more leaf types) is considered the most flavourful.

• •

  Stir in a spoon of peanut butter at the end for richness.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan.

Frequently Asked Questions