Foubeye

Blanched Cleome gynandra (spider plant) leaves, then simmered with onion, tomato, and peanut paste. The name foubeye and the exact method need to be confirmed with Nigerian cooks.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh Cleome gynandra leaves, sorted (about 1 kg of bunches)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 ripe tomato, crushed
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons natural peanut paste (about 30 g)
• 1 teaspoon crushed soumbala (optional)
• 250 ml hot water
• Salt to taste
• Fresh or dried chili, optional and served separately

Preparation

Sort the bunches: keep the leaves and tender young shoots, remove hard stems, flowers, pods, and yellowed leaves.

Wash the leaves in several changes of water until no sand or soil remains at the bottom of the basin, then drain them.

Blanch the leaves for 3 to 5 minutes in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain them, press lightly, discard the blanching water, then chop them roughly.

Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes over medium heat, add the tomato, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring.

Dilute the peanut paste in 250 ml of hot water, pour into the pot, add the soumbala, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the chopped leaves, mix, partially cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Taste: if the bitterness is too strong, add a little diluted peanut paste and extend cooking by 3 minutes. Salt last.

Serve hot with millet paste, rice, or as a side dish with meat or fish, with chili on the side.