Pumpkin seeds can be found here as a snack and salad topping, or processed into oil.
Pumpkin seeds are very healthy and, when prepared correctly, super delicious.
In Cameroon and West Africa, they are very popular as a sauce, with vegetables or steamed in banana leaves (mets de pistache).
In Cameroon, they are known as pistache or egusi. The most popular pistache products are pistache meats and pistache sauce.
Traditionally, pistachio sauce is prepared with plenty of meat and/or fish. It tastes almost as good without meat, making it a delicacy for vegetarians as well.
The meat can be prepared separately and served with the sauce to cater to both vegetarians and meat eaters. For example, crispy chicken thighs.
Today I'm sharing the vegetarian version with you.
Have fun cooking!
Feel free to leave your feedback as a comment.
Ingredients:
- Approximately 2 cups of pistachio pumpkin seeds
- 6 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 1-2 stalks of spring onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 1 Allspice (optional)
- 2 tbsp Magic Sauce (instead of Maggi cubes/broth)
- 200 ml cooking oil
- Pepper (black & white)
- Salt – as needed
- Blend 2 cloves of garlic, ginger and half of the spring onions in a blender together with the pistachio seeds and some water to form a paste and set aside.
- Pour oil into a pot and heat on high for about 4 minutes.
- Sauté chopped onions and garlic in hot oil for about 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, chop them finely and add them to the onions.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes begin to thicken and stick to the bottom of the pot
- Add a little water and 1 tbsp of Magic Sauce
- Add the mixture of pistachios and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly
- Add approximately 200 ml of water and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the allspice, the remaining Magic Sauce, and salt as needed, and cook for another 5 minutes, don't forget to stir!
- Turn the heat on the stove to medium, cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining spring onions, stir well and turn off the heat.
- Enjoy with cooked rice, plantains, or another side dish of your choice
Et voilà! Bon appétit!
Ingredients
- 300 g pistachios (African pumpkin seeds)
- 6 Medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 2 spring onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 1 chili pepper or Scotch bonnet (fresh)
- 2 tbsp Magic Sauce ((instead of Maggi cubes/broth))
- 200 ml cooking oil
- Pepper (black & white)
- 500 ml water
- Salt
Instructions
- Blend 2 cloves of garlic, ginger and half of the spring onions in a blender together with the pistachio seeds and some water to form a paste and set aside.
- Pour oil into a pot and heat on high for about 4 minutes.
- Sauté chopped onions and garlic in hot oil for about 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, chop them finely and add them to the onions.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes begin to thicken and stick to the bottom of the pot
- Add a little water and 1 tbsp of Magic Sauce
- Add the mixture of pistachios and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly
- Add approximately 500 ml of water and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the chili pepper, the remaining Magic Sauce, and salt as needed, and cook for another 5 minutes, don't forget to stir!
- Turn the heat on the stove to medium, cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining spring onions, stir well and turn off the heat.
- Enjoy with cooked rice, plantains, or another side dish of your choice
