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Fumbwa (Congolese Wild Spinach Stew)

One of my favorite comfort foods from the Congo 🇨🇩🌿. A rich, earthy, and nutty stew that’s deeply satisfying and full of soul. It pairs beautifully with kwanga, fufu, steamed rice, or sweet plantains. Pure comfort in every bite ❤️

The beauty of cooking fumbwa is that you can always make it your way — it welcomes your own twist, whether you're leaning traditional or adding what you have on hand. It’s a dish that carries memory, flavor, and home in every simmer.

For this pot, I used dried fumbwa leaves, onion, tomato, smoked fish, garlic, peanut butter, and veggie stock — all slowly simmered until the sauce thickens and the oil gently rises to the top( mine took about 2 hours) , releasing that signature nutty aroma. Every spoonful tastes like home.

Ingredients used:

40 g dried fumbwa (wild spinach leaves)
1 medium onion, diced
4 spring onions, diced
2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 medium smoked dried fish, deboned and cut into small pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
500–700 ml vegetable stock or water
4–6 Tbsp smooth peanut butter (adjust to taste)
~60 ml oil (vegetable, nut or palm oil)
2 bay leaves
1 scotch bonnet chili (optional, for heat)
1 vegetable seasoning cube
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Personal touch: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Whether you're making it for the first time or the hundredth, fumbwa always delivers that slow-cooked magic. Serve it warm, share it with loved ones, and let the flavors do the storytelling 💫

#Fumbwa #CongoleseFood #AfricanCuisine #FoodHeritage #PeanutStew #CongoEats #FoodFromHome #AfricanFoodie #TraditionalCuisine #HomeCookingLove
#CozyCookingSeason taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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10 months ago

Happy mother's Day taken in Manchester, United Kingdom by @shecooksitall_

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55

3 years ago

Poulet Yassa anyone?
Hope these slide gives you an easy to follow step to make this because omg this was sooooo gooood. Served ours with couscous 👌🏾👌🏾😋❤️

INGREDIENTS USED:

1 kg chicken wings

for the marinade blended:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon mild mustard
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 bay leave
1 onion
2 spring onions
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each (oregano, coriander and persil)
1 teaspoon light soy sauce

for the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 onions
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoon mild mustard
1 to 2 cup vegetable stock ( or water)
a handful on olive
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

#pouletyassa #senegalfood #senegal2022 #cuisineafricaine #africancuisine #discoverunder10k #microfoodblogger #ukfoodcontentcreator #manchesterfoodblogger #foodcontentcreator #mustryfood #musttryrecipe #chickenrecipe #shecooksitalll #manchesteruk by @shecooksitall_

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4 years ago

🍓✨ Individual CLASSIC FRUIT TARTS ✨🍓

Buttery pastry + silky crème pâtissière + glossy fresh fruit = the ultimate little dessert! 😍🥧

INGREDIENTS for 4 tartelettes

🥧 For the pastry
• 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g icing sugar
• 250g cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• A splash of ice-cold water, if needed

🍮 For the crème pâtissière
• 500ml whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 40g plain flour
• 120g caster sugar
• Icing sugar, for dusting

🍓 To finish
• ½ jar apricot jam
• 400g fresh fruit — strawberries, raspberries, grapes, pineapple, blueberries, etc.

METHOD

1️⃣ Make the pastry: Rub the flour and icing sugar into the butter until crumbly. Mix in the egg yolk and a splash of cold water, if needed. Bring together, wrap, and chill for 10–20 minutes.

2️⃣ Shape & bake: Roll out to about 5mm thick and line your tart cases. Prick the bases, then fill with foil and baking beans. Bake at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 for around 15 minutes, until golden. Remove the beans and foil, then cool.

3️⃣ Make the crème pâtissière: Heat the milk until just boiling. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, flour and sugar. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then return everything to the pan. Stir over medium heat until thick. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with icing sugar to prevent skin forming, and cool.

4️⃣ Make the glaze: Warm the apricot jam with a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir until smooth, then let cool slightly.

5️⃣ Assemble: Spoon the cooled crème pâtissière into the tart shells. Top with your favourite fresh fruit and gently brush with the apricot glaze for that beautiful glossy finish. ✨

💡 TIP: For the shiniest finish, brush the fruit with cooled (not hot!) apricot glaze.

❄️ Best served chilled! 💕

#FruitTart #FruitTarts #BakingFromScratch #HomemadeDessert #ClassicBaking by @shecooksitall_

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7

2 days ago

A weekend isn't complete without a freshly baked loaf of bread. 🤍🍞
Let me inspire your weekend bake with this soft, fluffy challah bread—beautifully braided, golden on the outside, and perfect for sharing.

Save this recipe for later and tag me if you give it a try! ✨

✨ Soft & Fluffy Homemade Challah ✨

Ingredients
180 ml lukewarm water
50 g sugar
7 g yeast (use according to the package instructions)
480–540 g plain (all-purpose) flour
80 ml sunflower oil
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash)
1 teaspoon salt
Reserved egg white
A splash of milk (for the egg wash)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
1️⃣ In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast, following the instructions on your yeast packet. (For active dry yeast, let it stand for about 5 minutes until foamy.)
2️⃣ Add 480 g flour, sunflower oil, eggs, egg yolk, and salt. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky. If needed, add the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3️⃣ Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1–2 hours.
4️⃣ Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into ropes about 30 cm long.
5️⃣ Arrange the 6 ropes side by side and pinch the tops together. Braid using your preferred 6-strand method, then pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath.
6️⃣ Place the loaf on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover loosely and let rise again for 30–60 minutes, until puffy.
7️⃣ Preheat the oven to 175°C.
8️⃣ Beat the reserved egg white with a splash of milk. Brush over the loaf and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
9️⃣ Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
🔟 Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
💛 Best enjoyed fresh on the day it's baked, but it will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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15

16 days ago

Congolese Madesu ya Goma with Makayabu (Salted Fish) 🇨🇩✨

A comforting, hearty Congolese classic that's packed with flavour. Tender Madesu ya Goma beans are simmered in a rich tomato sauce with crispy makayabu (salted fish). Perfect with rice, fufu, plantain or cassava.

Ingredients

For the beans:

500g dried beans (I used Congolese Madesu ya Goma)
Water
A little salt

For the fish:

350g dried salted fish (makayabu)

For the sauce:

1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 x 400g can plum tomatoes, chopped
About ½ cup oil reserved from frying the makayabu
2 bay leaves
Black pepper, to taste
Chilli flakes, to taste
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Water or vegetable stock

Method:

1️⃣Wash and soak the beans in plenty of clean water overnight.

Wash and soak the makayabu overnight as well to remove excess salt.

2️⃣The next day, drain the beans and transfer them to a large pot. Cover with fresh cold water, season with a little salt and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered over high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the beans are almost tender.

3️⃣Meanwhile, fry the soaked makayabu on both sides until golden. Allow it to cool, remove the bones and break the fish into bite-sized pieces. Reserve about ½ cup of the frying oil.

4️⃣In a separate pan, heat the reserved oil. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and you can see the oil separating from the tomatoes. Don't skip this step—it gives the sauce its rich flavour.

Add the bay leaves, black pepper, chilli flakes and grated nutmeg.

5️⃣Stir in the partially cooked beans and the fried makayabu.

Pour in enough water or vegetable stock to reach your preferred consistency. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, allowing all the flavours to come together.

Serve hot with rice, fufu, plantains or your favourite side.

Have you tried Congolese Madesu before? Let me know in the comments! ❤️🇨🇩 by @shecooksitall_

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23 days ago

🇨🇩Bonne fête de l’indépendance à la République démocratique du Congo. 🇨🇩
Nous continuerons à garder l’espoir qu’un jour le Congo connaîtra la véritable indépendance qu’il mérite.
À nos frères et sœurs de l’Est du Congo, nous sommes de tout cœur avec vous. Nous ressentons vos larmes et vos souffrances, et nous continuons à prier pour vous.
1960–2026 : le Congo saigne encore, mais l’espoir demeure.

#prayforcongo #unitécongolaise #mémoireetespoir #rdc taken in Kinshasa, Congo by @shecooksitall_

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1

a month ago

Hello weekend bakers, how about homemade pizza this weekend with this Easy Overnight Pizza Dough?
Once you try overnight pizza dough, there’s no going back 🍕✨🍕

This simple overnight dough creates a beautifully light, airy crust with plenty of flavour and those gorgeous bubbly edges.

📋 Ingredients
• 450g strong white bread flour, divided
• 1 x 7g sachet instant yeast
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 300ml water

👩‍🍳 Method

The night before:

In a large bowl, mix 300g of the flour with the yeast, salt, olive oil and water.

Stir until there is no dry flour remaining. The dough will be very sticky at this stage – don't worry!

Cover the bowl and leave to ferment overnight in a cool place (not in the fridge).

The next day:
4. Transfer the fermented dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining 150g flour and knead for around 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. (No stand mixer? Your hands work perfectly too!)
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rest for 45–60 minutes.

Ready to bake:
6. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and shape into balls.
7. Place on a floured tray( use very fine semolina flour if possible), cover, and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to its highest setting (mine reaches 250°C).

🔥 Assemble & Bake
9. Gently stretch the dough by hand. If you want to keep those beautiful airy bubbles around the edge, avoid using a rolling pin.
10. Add your favourite toppings and place the pizza on a tray lined with baking parchment.
11. Bake for around 12 minutes, or until golden, crisp and bubbling.

💡 Tips
• Good-quality flour will give you the best end result.
• For the pizzas shown here, I used a mixture of 00 flour and extra strong artisan bread flour.
• Make sure your oven is fully preheated for at least 30 minutes before baking. A thoroughly heated oven is key to achieving a crisp base and beautifully risen crust.

✨ Makes 2 pizzas

#HomemadePizza #PizzaDough #OvernightDough #PizzaNight #HomeBaking taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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a month ago

🐟🌿 Garden Egg & Salted Fish Stew

A comforting, flavour-packed stew made with tender garden eggs, salted fish, aromatic leeks, and whole scotch bonnet peppers. Perfect with rice, yam, plantain, or your favourite fufu.

✨ Ingredients
• 8 medium garden eggs, cut into wedges and kept soaked in water.
• 10–12 pieces salted fish
• 4 small shallots (or 1 large onion), sliced
• ½ leek, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Bay leaves
• 1 Knorr vegetable stock cube
• Whole scotch bonnet chillies
• ½ cup oil (for frying fish)
• ¼ cup oil (for the sauce)
• About 500ml water or stock

👩🏽‍🍳 Method

1️⃣ The night before, soak the salted fish in cold water.

2️⃣ The next day, wash and descale the fish thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

3️⃣ Heat ½ cup oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Fry the fish until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.

4️⃣ Reserve about ¼ cup of the fish-frying oil for the sauce. Add the sliced shallots and leek, then sauté until softened.

5️⃣ Stir in the bay leaves and minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

6️⃣ Add the garden egg wedges and sauté for about 5 minutes.

7️⃣ Pour in 500ml water or stock and crumble in the Knorr vegetable stock cube. Cook for 10 minutes.

8️⃣ Add the fried fish and whole scotch bonnet chillies. If needed, add a little more water.

9️⃣ Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing all the flavours to come together.

🍲 Serve hot and enjoy the rich, savoury goodness!

#GardenEggStew #SaltedFishRecipe #congolesefood #HomeCooking #congolesecuisine taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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a month ago

✨ Swahili Style Chicken Pilau Rice ✨

Nothing beats the aroma of homemade pilau filling the kitchen! This East African classic is packed with warm spices, tender chicken, fluffy rice, and soft potatoes. Perfect for family gatherings or a comforting weekend meal. 🤎🍚

📌 Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 kg chicken pieces (I used drumsticks)
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
• ¼ cup (60ml) cooking oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste

Pilau Spice Mix (toast and grind):
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp black peppercorns

Whole spices for the oil:
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods

• About 4 cups chicken, veg stock or water

Bay leaves and a whole chilli are optional

👩🏾‍🍳 Method

1️⃣ Toast the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns in a dry pan until fragrant. Allow to cool slightly, then grind into a fine powder and set aside.

2️⃣ Wash the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 30 minutes.

3️⃣ Optional (but highly recommended): Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a little curry powder. Brown the chicken and set aside.

4️⃣ Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the whole spices for the oil (cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cloves, and cardamom pods) and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the sliced onions and cook until deeply golden brown. This is what gives pilau its rich colour and flavour.

5️⃣ Stir in the garlic, ginger, and the freshly ground pilau spice mix. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

6️⃣ Return the chicken to the pot and coat it well with the spices. Add the stock or water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

7️⃣ Add the potatoes and drained rice. Cover and cook on low heat for 15–20 minutes.

✨ My personal secret: I finish the pilau in the oven at 160°C until the rice and potatoes are perfectly cooked and fluffy.

Serve hot with a fresh side salad and enjoy every bite! 😍🍚🍗

#SwahiliFood #ChickenPilau #EastAfricanCuisine #PilauRice #AfricanRecipes taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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a month ago

Lamb Kebabs (Turkish-Inspired)

Ingredients

800g lamb leg or lamb shoulder, cut into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper and chilli flakes

Method

Mix all marinade ingredients.
Toss with lamb and marinate 4–24 hours.
Thread onto skewers.
Grill over high heat for 8–10 minutes for medium, turning regularly.

Optional: Alternate lamb with chunks of red onion and bell pepper. taken in Manchester, United Kingdom by @shecooksitall_

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6

2 months ago

Hey foodies! 😍

What's been on your plate this Sunday?

We treated ourselves to a classic Congolese combo: makayabu (salted fish), pondu (cassava leaves), and semolina fufu. 🇨🇩🍽️

Honestly, this meal never misses. Absolute chef's kiss! 😘👌

Bellies full, hearts happy, and we're now fully charged for the week ahead. 😂✨

What did you have today? taken in Manchester, UK by @shecooksitall_

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30

2 months ago