Cocoyam is a root vegetable which is readily available in Ghana and it's rich in Vitamin B6 and magnesium. The Cocoyam leaves(African Spinach) are traditionally known as Kontomire in Ghana. They're rich in Vitamins A & C and contain more protein than the corm.
The leaves are used for , sauces, stews (Palavar sauce, Kontomire stew etc) and soups in Ghana. Cocoyams are used the same way one would potatoes and has a slight earthy taste.
It's popular in most Asian cuisines and readily available in both African and Asian grocers.
Dishes made from Cocoyam includes Fufu, Chips, Pottage to mention but a few.
During my childhood, Cocoyam wasn't as popular as Yam, hence I'm creating new ways of incorporating Cocoyam in everyday dishes.
I was rather surprised about a trip to Thailand (stayed in the Sarojin hotel, Khao Lak) where we were given complimentary snacks of Cocoyam crisp. My husband couldn't understand my excitement and I had to explain the limited ways it was used in Ghana.
I pinched myself to think an ingredient that wasn't popularly used had many uses and nutritional contents. My personal mission is to create as many recipes from Cocoyam.
Anyway, I found the Cocoyam in my local Asian grocers and I couldn't help but grab a few. Enjoy this simple vegetarian dish inspired by my Ghanaian roots.
Ingredients
300g of peeled Cocoyam cut into sizable chunks
1 litre of Vegetable oil
Half a teaspoon of salt
300g of wilted Spinach
4 Green chillies
1 large Onion
2 cloves of Garlic
1 stalk of grains of selim
Method
Watch how I made the Cocoyam chips and Spinach sauce below. Don't forget to subscribe and share.
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