Mozambican Matapa Cashew Greens with Rice

Ingredients

• 10 cups chopped spinach or cassava leaves
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red chili, minced
• 1 cup vegetable stock or water
• 1 1/2 cups rice, for serving
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps

1. Grind the cashews in a food processor or spice grinder to a coarse, sandy meal. Stop before they turn to butter; the loose meal is what thickens the stew evenly.
2. Rinse the rice and simmer it in 2 1/4 cups salted water, covered, over the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then leave it covered off the heat.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes, until soft and golden, then add the garlic and chili for 30 seconds.
4. Add the greens in large handfuls, letting each batch wilt before adding the next, then pour in the stock.
5. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes for spinach, or 40 minutes for cassava leaves, until completely tender and dark.
6. Stir in the ground cashews and the coconut milk and simmer uncovered, very gently, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often so the cashew meal does not catch on the base.
7. Keep it at a bare simmer. Boiled hard, the coconut milk splits and the cashews turn grainy rather than creamy.
8. The matapa is ready when it is thick enough to mound on a spoon and a sheen of oil shows on the surface. Season with salt and lime and serve over the rice with cilantro and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains tree nuts and coconut.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.