By Josephine Agbonkhese

White rice is one of those kitchen staples that never goes out of fashion. Simple, filling and easy to prepare, it pairs beautifully with different sauces, stews and soups. But if you are looking for a way to make your usual plate of rice more colourful, nutritious and exciting, vegetable sauce is worth trying.

Made with fresh tomatoes, roughly blended cayenne pepper, onions, locust beans, crayfish and red oil, this sauce delivers a delicious blend of heat, aroma and rich, savoury goodness. The locust beans, popularly known as iru in Yoruba, contribute a distinctive traditional flavour, while crayfish deepens the taste. Fresh ugu, or pumpkin leaves, completes the dish with colour, texture and nutritional value.

The best part is that all the sauce ingredients are lightly fried together before the vegetables are added, allowing their flavours to blend beautifully. Whether for lunch or dinner, this is a satisfying meal that is easy to prepare at home.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the rice

• 3 cups of white rice
• Water for cooking
• Salt to taste (optional)

For the vegetable sauce

• 3 cups of chopped ugu (pumpkin leaves) or spinach
• 4-5 fresh tomatoes
• 5-7 large fresh cayenne peppers, depending on your heat preference
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of locust beans (iru)
• 1 cup of cleaned crayfish
• 3–4 tablespoons of red palm oil, or to taste
• Smoked fish, stockfish, cooked beef or assorted meat (optional)
• 3 seasoning cubes (optional; adjust to taste)
• Salt to taste
• A little water or stock, if needed

Preparation

Step 1: Cook the rice

Measure the rice into a bowl and rinse thoroughly under clean running water. Transfer it into a pot, add enough water to cover it, and cook over medium heat until tender. Add more hot water if necessary during cooking.

Once the rice is cooked, drain any excess water, if applicable, and allow it to steam over low heat for a minute or two. The grains should be soft but not mushy. Set aside and keep warm.

Step 2: Prepare the sauce ingredients

Wash the tomatoes, cayenne peppers and onion thoroughly. Roughly blend the tomatoes and peppers, using as little water as possible. The mixture should retain some texture rather than becoming completely smooth.

Finely chop the onion and wash the ugu leaves before slicing them into smaller pieces. Rinse the crayfish and set aside. If using smoked fish, remove the bones and break it into manageable pieces. Cooked meat or stockfish can also be prepared in advance.

Step 3: Fry the sauce ingredients

Place a clean pot over medium heat and pour in the vegetable oil and red palm oil. Allow the oils to warm gently without overheating them.

Add the chopped onion and locust beans, stirring briefly until fragrant. Next, add the roughly blended tomato and pepper mixture, followed by the crayfish. If using smoked fish, stockfish or cooked meat, add them at this stage as well.

Stir everything together thoroughly. Add the seasoning cubes, if using, and salt to taste. Allow the mixture to fry lightly for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The tomatoes should cook down, the pepper mixture should lose its raw taste, and the ingredients should come together into a rich, aromatic sauce.

If the mixture becomes too dry before the tomatoes are properly cooked, add a small splash of water or stock. Avoid adding too much, as the sauce should remain thick rather than watery.

Step 4: Add the ugu

Once the sauce is well cooked and the flavours have blended, add the chopped ugu. Stir thoroughly so the leaves are evenly coated with the sauce.

Allow the vegetables to cook for about three to five minutes, depending on their tenderness and your preferred texture. Avoid overcooking them, as this can dull their colour and soften them excessively.

Taste and adjust the salt or seasoning if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat once the ugu is tender and the sauce is ready.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the hot white rice on four plates and spoon a generous portion of vegetable sauce alongside or over each serving. If you have included smoked fish, stockfish or meat, distribute them evenly.

For variety, the rice can also be served with boiled eggs or grilled fish. The sauce is equally adaptable to other leafy vegetables, depending on availability.