Breakfast Dodo(amaranth) Rolex

It’s that time of the year again; where the weather is so bipolar that you have to carry an umbrella with you in case it rains while at the same time trying your best to dress lightly to avoid the heat. But as long as it rains, the dodo (amaranth) will thrive almost anywhere and it is really hard to resist the green beauty! I digress. This post is about breakfast and rolexes. What is your favorite breakfast? I feel breakfast is the most satisfying meal of the day because it puts you in that blissful sleepy mode. Does breakfast do that to you? Also, aren’t rolexes awesome? What is your favorite rolex combo? I personally think the rolex should be dubbed the official Ugandan food because it is known all over the country, it is relatively easy to put together and it is versatile because it can work as breakfast, lunch and dinner too. Making a rolex is as easy as just getting a chapati, a fried egg and a few veggies and rolling all the savory juicy goodness in. But all rolex makers I have encountered take pride in making their rolexes to perfection, a pure work of art and dedication. Since dodo was irresistibly beautiful I decided to add it in this breakfast rolex and I was not disappointed. This rolex is a perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty, creamy and nutty flavors.

What you will need:

6 Chapatis

3 Handfuls dodo (amaranth), steamed

1 Carrot, thinly sliced

1 Large purple onion, sliced and pickled

1 Avocado, peeled and sliced

3 Eggs

3 Tbsp. Whole milk

2 Tbsp. Simsim (sesame seeds), roasted

Salt

Cooking oil

Method

Pickled onions

Thinly slice the purple onion and put it in a small bowl. Pour vinegar over the onions till they are submerged. Cover the bowl and let the onions pickle overnight.

Fried egg

Crack the three eggs in a bowl. Add 3 Tablespoons of whole milk, salt and whisk together. In a hot pan, add about a tablespoon of oil and let it heat up. Pour in the egg. After two minutes, flip the egg and let the other side fry for another two minutes. Remove from fire when egg gets crispy. Let the egg cool and thinly slice it into strips.

Assembling

Drain the vinegar from the onions. Put a chapati on a plate and arrange the avocado slice, egg strip, onions, steamed dodo and carrot sticks. Sprinkle simsim (sesame seeds) and roll the chapati firmly. Slice into two and enjoy with your favorite cup of tea, coffee or bowl of porridge.

I hope you are inspired to make and eat this great food called rolex! Also what is your ideal or favorite rolex combo?

 

🙂

Sophie

 

 

Creamy Dodo Pasta

Another dodo recipe. Here is why. When the rainy season started, dodo sprouted from everywhere and it was very green, healthy and luscious that we could not let it over grow. So we started incorporating it in most of our meals. This is another recipe that has made dodo very enjoyable. I have always loved creamy white pasta sauce and maybe someday I will get around to making it but this creamy dodo is flavorful in its own way and not to mention the dodo itself has a ton of nutrients. Another time you find yourself with more than needed dodo, you can try this.
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What you will need:

250 Grams of pasta

2 Small Irish potatoes, peeled and halved

Four handfuls of dodo, washed

2 C. Milk

2 Medium tomatoes, chopped

1 Tsp. Garlic, finely chopped

1 Tsp. Ginger, finely chopped

½ C. Green onions chopped

A handful of crushed groundnuts

Oil

Salt

Method

In a medium saucepan, add water and one cup of milk and bring to a boil. Break the pasta strands in half and once the water has reached boiling point, add the pasta. Keep stirring the pasta to avoid it from clamping together. Sprinkle a little salt and after 5-8 minutes, remove the pasta from the fire and drain it then set aside to cool.  Boil Irish potatoes till tender and remove from fire.  Steam the dodo until almost tender. Remove from fire and let it cool.

In a blender, combine the steamed dodo (leave a few strands for later), boiled potatoes and the remaining cup of milk and salt to taste and blend till pureed.

In a separate saucepan, pour oil. After a minute, add the garlic and ginger and salt and let them brown a little. Next add the onions and tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are soft. Pour in the dodo puree and stir well. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from fire. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well adding in the reserved strands of steamed dodo. Garnish with crushed groundnuts and sprinkle with lemon or orange juice. Serve.

Let me know how it turns out when you try it.

🙂

Sophie

 

 

PS: if  a lemon is too strong for you, you can use a raw orange which is slightly sour.

 

 

Sautéed Dodo(Amaranth)

As much as time is flying by, the rain is still sticking around. There is freshness overload. From fresh green grass (which now needs to be trimmed every week) to fresh rain washed air. From fresh rain-soaked earth to fresh vegetables all over. Among those vegetables  is the dodo/ amaranth. It is so glorious you can’t deny it. I have experimented with dodo a lot and have found that it tastes really great raw (think salad) but I am yet to polish the art of making raw dodo salad. In the meantime I will be sharing this sautĂ©ed dodo recipe. It is a healthy dish, I believe, that is sautĂ©ed in little oil and is not overcooked and thus it has a slight bite to it. I find dodo a great breakfast vegetable because it is an energizer.

What you will need:

Three handfuls of  fresh dodo

1 Tomato, chopped

1/2 C. Spring Onions, chopped

1 Small purple onion, chopped

Cooking oil

Salt

Method

Wash the dodo thoroughly and dry then set aside. Pour a tablespoon of cooking oil in a hot pan. Add the onions and stir for a minute.Add salt. Next add the tomatoes and keep stirring till they are soft. Add the dodo  and stir well making sure it is well mixed with the tomatoes and onions. Wait for a few minutes or until the dodo turns a bright green color and then remove it from fire.  Serve as a side dish.

I want to know how you prepare dodo. Leave a comment below.

 

🙂

Sophie