Kontomire, Ghanaian Spinach and Pumpkin-Seed Stew
Kontomire is the Ghanaian name for cocoyam leaves and for the everyday stew built on them, a pot of greens made rich with ground seeds. It is close kin to the egusi soups of Nigeria: the greens are simmered with tomato, onion, and chile, then bound with a meal of ground melon seed that swells into soft curds. Spinach stands in easily for the cocoyam leaf, and pumpkin seeds stand in for the egusi that can be hard to find. The trick is to scatter the ground seeds over the top and leave them to steam so they set into lumps, which is what separates this from a smooth peanut sauce like mchicha. Garden eggs, the small African eggplants, are the classic addition, and a diced regular eggplant fills in.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin seeds, ground fine
- 1 whole Yellow onions, diced
- 3 wholes Fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Eggplant, diced small, garden egg if you have it
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
- 1/2 whole Habanero, minced
Method
- Grind the pumpkin seeds in a spice grinder or blender to a coarse meal, stopping before they turn to butter. This meal stands in for egusi, the ground melon seed that thickens and enriches the stew; pumpkin seeds give the same nutty body and are far easier to buy.
- Sweat the onion in a pot with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water until soft, about 6 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and habanero and cook 1 minute more. Water sweating builds the aromatic base so the only fat in the pot comes from the seeds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and diced eggplant with a splash of water. Simmer until the tomatoes collapse and the eggplant is tender, about 8 minutes. Garden eggs are the traditional vegetable here; ordinary eggplant does the same job of soaking up the sauce.
- Sprinkle the ground pumpkin seeds evenly over the surface and let them steam, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes before stirring. Left alone, the ground seeds set into soft curds rather than dissolving, which is the texture that makes egusi-style stew what it is, chunky and rich instead of smooth.
- Fold in the spinach and cook just until it wilts and the stew pulls together, about 3 minutes. The seeds, tomato, and chile carry it with no salt. Serve alongside an intact grain like brown rice or millet, or with a bean dish.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 180 calories, 9 g protein, 6 g fiber, 60 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
