What Is Fumbwa? The Congolese Wild Spinach Stew Explained
Fumbwa is a Congolese stew of finely shredded wild spinach leaves cooked slowly with palm oil, smoked fish and groundnut paste. Here is what it is and how it is made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Fumbwa, also spelled mfumbwa and sometimes called koko or wild spinach, is a much loved stew from the western Democratic Republic of the Congo, made from the finely shredded wild leaves of the Gnetum africanum plant. The leaves are stewed slowly with palm oil, onion, tomato, smoked or dried fish and usually groundnut paste until they are tender, giving a dish that is rich, dark and gently nutty. It is a favourite in Kinshasa and Kongo Central, served with rice, fufu, chikwangue or plantain. In the UK the dried leaves and the other ingredients to make it are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Fumbwa is a Congolese stew of finely shredded wild Gnetum leaves.
- It is also spelled mfumbwa and known as koko or wild spinach.
- It is cooked with palm oil, smoked or dried fish and groundnut paste until tender and nutty.
- It is a speciality of western DR Congo, especially Kinshasa and Kongo Central.
- It is served with rice, fufu, chikwangue or plantain.
A pot of fumbwa on the stove fills a kitchen with the deep, earthy smell of slow-cooked greens, smoky fish and warm palm oil, and for many Congolese families that scent is the smell of home. It is the dish that marks a proper Sunday meal or a gathering worth cooking for, the one that takes its time on the heat while the household drifts in and out of the kitchen. In Kinshasa it is ordinary and beloved at once, everyday food that still feels like an occasion.
There is something quietly generous about a dish built from wild leaves and patience. The greens are shredded fine and coaxed soft over a long, gentle cook, and the groundnut paste turns the whole pot rich and comforting. To make fumbwa in a flat in Britain, far from the markets of Kongo Central, is to hold on to that patience and that comfort, and to set down a bowl of it for someone is to share a taste of the Congo river country.
What Fumbwa Actually Is
Fumbwa, also written mfumbwa, is a Congolese stew made from the leaves of a wild forest vine, Gnetum africanum, which are shredded very finely and cooked slowly until tender. In English the leaves are often called wild spinach, and in parts of Central Africa they are known as koko. The finished dish is dark green, thick and savoury, with a gentle nuttiness that comes from the groundnut paste it is usually cooked with. It is one of the signature greens of the western Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially around Kinshasa and Kongo Central, and sits at the heart of Congolese food.
What makes fumbwa distinctive is the leaf itself. Gnetum leaves are firm and slow to soften, so unlike quick-cooking greens they are shredded thin and stewed for a long time, which gives fumbwa its particular texture and depth. Cooked with palm oil, smoked fish and groundnut paste, the leaves take on a rich, rounded flavour that is quite unlike lighter leaf dishes.
How Fumbwa Differs From Eru, Pondu and Other Greens
Fumbwa is easily confused with other African leaf dishes, so it helps to be clear. The same Gnetum leaf is used in the Cameroonian dish eru, but eru is a different preparation, typically cooked with waterleaf and prepared in the Cameroonian style. Fumbwa is the Congolese version, defined by palm oil, smoked fish and groundnut paste rather than waterleaf, so although the two share a leaf they are genuinely different dishes.
It is also distinct from the other well known Congolese greens. Pondu is made from cassava leaves, not Gnetum, and matembele is made from sweet potato leaves, each with its own flavour and texture. So while all of these are leafy Congolese stews, fumbwa stands apart as the wild spinach dish, the one built around the shredded Gnetum leaf and its nutty groundnut sauce.
How Fumbwa Is Made and Served
Making fumbwa begins with the wild leaves, which are usually bought dried and finely shredded, then rinsed and simmered until they start to soften. Palm oil, chopped onion and tomato are added, along with smoked or dried fish for a deep savoury note, and the pot is left to cook slowly so the firm leaves become properly tender. Groundnut paste is stirred through to thicken the stew and give it its characteristic richness and gentle nuttiness, and the whole thing is seasoned and cooked down until it is thick and dark.
A gentle note on ingredients: fumbwa is usually made with groundnut, which is peanut, and with fish, so it is worth flagging for anyone with a peanut or fish allergy, and it is traditionally cooked in palm oil, a common West and Central African cooking fat. Once ready, fumbwa is served hot with a starch to soak up the sauce, most often rice, fufu, chikwangue or plantain, which balance its richness and turn it into a full, satisfying meal.
Where to Buy Fumbwa Ingredients in the UK
Fumbwa is a home-cooked dish, and the ingredients are straightforward to gather in Britain from African food shops. The one to look for is the wild spinach leaf itself, usually sold dried and finely shredded and often labelled fumbwa, mfumbwa or koko; shops serving Central and West African customers also stock palm oil, smoked and dried fish and groundnut paste for the sauce, much as they would for a groundnut soup. With those in the cupboard, and onion and tomato from any grocer, fumbwa is simple to put together at home. You can find African food stores near you to see what is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is fumbwa?
Fumbwa, also spelled mfumbwa, is a Congolese stew made from the finely shredded wild leaves of the Gnetum africanum plant, often called wild spinach or koko. The leaves are cooked slowly with palm oil, onion, tomato, smoked or dried fish and usually groundnut paste until tender, giving a rich, dark, gently nutty dish. It is a favourite of western DR Congo, especially Kinshasa and Kongo Central.
What does fumbwa taste like?
Fumbwa is deep, savoury and gently nutty, with the earthy flavour of slow-cooked wild leaves rounded out by groundnut paste. The smoked or dried fish adds a smoky, savoury note, and the palm oil gives richness and a warm colour. Because the Gnetum leaves are firm and cooked for a long time, the finished stew is thick and tender rather than light.
How is fumbwa different from eru?
Fumbwa and eru use the same Gnetum leaf, but they are different dishes. Eru is the Cameroonian preparation, typically cooked with waterleaf in the Cameroonian style, while fumbwa is the Congolese version, defined by palm oil, smoked fish and groundnut paste. Fumbwa also differs from pondu, which is made from cassava leaves, and from matembele, made from sweet potato leaves.
How is fumbwa made?
Dried, finely shredded Gnetum leaves are rinsed and simmered until they start to soften, then cooked slowly with palm oil, onion, tomato and smoked or dried fish. Groundnut paste is stirred through to thicken the stew and give it its nutty richness, and it is seasoned and cooked down until thick and dark. It is served hot with rice, fufu, chikwangue or plantain.
Where can I buy fumbwa ingredients in the UK?
Fumbwa is made at home, so African food shops are the place to buy the ingredients: the dried shredded wild spinach leaves, often labelled fumbwa, mfumbwa or koko, along with palm oil, smoked or dried fish and groundnut paste. Shops serving Central and West African customers usually stock these. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.