Make ‘ggobe’ powder
WHEN you walk into the markets, you find women immersed in conversations as they arrange batches of vegetables waiting for customers. One of the vegetables on season is ggobe as popularly known in Luganda and boo in Acholi, Langi and Ateso.
By Agnes Kyotalengerire
WHEN you walk into the markets, you find women immersed in conversations as they arrange batches of vegetables waiting for customers. One of the vegetables on season is ggobe as popularly known in Luganda and boo in Acholi, Langi and Ateso.
According to the market survey done recently, the prices are affordable. One can get a batch of ggobe for as little as sh200 for a smaller batch while the big batch costs sh500.
Buying tips
Dorcus Akello, a purchasing officer at Charmker Eating House (northern local dish restaurant) on Dewinton Street, advises that while shopping for ggobe, one should consider the following:
-Buy fresh ggobe with dark green leaves because it easy to sot. The ggobe that has yellowish leaves is not good.
-Take time and select ggobe which is not infested by insects/weevils.
Preservation tips
Akello adds that one can keep ggobe fresh by storing it in a cool place; for instance you can keep it outside say in the hedge during the night. The dew helps to absorb water and keep it looking fresh.
You can also keep it in a container of water by dipping its roots to stop it from withering.
Alternatively, you can wash it clean and store it in a refrigerator. However, now the ggobe is in plenty, you do not have to throw it away when it begins withering. You can preserve it for future use by processing powder out of it.
Recipe
Sylvia Lamunu Onen, a specialist in preparing traditional dishes at Charmker Eating House, says one can process ggobe powder and mix it groundnut soup to make a mouth-watering local dish. Lamunu took me through the procedure below:
-Pluck the leaves from the stems
-Wash the leaves in clean water
-Put the leaves in a saucepan, add reasonable water, salt and boil for about 30 minutes.
-Spread the boiled leaves in the sun to dry
-When completely dry, pound in a mortar to get powder
-Sieve to separate fine powder from residues
-Store the powder in a dry container
-When cooking, add the powder to groundnut soup already boiling on fire to make ggobe in groundnut sauce.
WHEN you walk into the markets, you find women immersed in conversations as they arrange batches of vegetables waiting for customers. One of the vegetables on season is ggobe as popularly known in Luganda and boo in Acholi, Langi and Ateso.
According to the market survey done recently, the prices are affordable. One can get a batch of ggobe for as little as sh200 for a smaller batch while the big batch costs sh500.
Buying tips
Dorcus Akello, a purchasing officer at Charmker Eating House (northern local dish restaurant) on Dewinton Street, advises that while shopping for ggobe, one should consider the following:
-Buy fresh ggobe with dark green leaves because it easy to sot. The ggobe that has yellowish leaves is not good.
-Take time and select ggobe which is not infested by insects/weevils.
Preservation tips
Akello adds that one can keep ggobe fresh by storing it in a cool place; for instance you can keep it outside say in the hedge during the night. The dew helps to absorb water and keep it looking fresh.
You can also keep it in a container of water by dipping its roots to stop it from withering.
Alternatively, you can wash it clean and store it in a refrigerator. However, now the ggobe is in plenty, you do not have to throw it away when it begins withering. You can preserve it for future use by processing powder out of it.
Recipe
Sylvia Lamunu Onen, a specialist in preparing traditional dishes at Charmker Eating House, says one can process ggobe powder and mix it groundnut soup to make a mouth-watering local dish. Lamunu took me through the procedure below:
-Pluck the leaves from the stems
-Wash the leaves in clean water
-Put the leaves in a saucepan, add reasonable water, salt and boil for about 30 minutes.
-Spread the boiled leaves in the sun to dry
-When completely dry, pound in a mortar to get powder
-Sieve to separate fine powder from residues
-Store the powder in a dry container
-When cooking, add the powder to groundnut soup already boiling on fire to make ggobe in groundnut sauce.