What Is Muriwo? The Zimbabwean Leafy Greens Relish Explained
Muriwo is the Zimbabwean relish of leafy greens cooked down with onion and tomato, often with peanut butter. Here is what it is and how it is made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Muriwo is the everyday Zimbabwean relish of leafy greens, chopped and simmered down with onion and tomato until soft and savoury. Popular greens include covo, rape, tsunga and pumpkin leaves, and the dish is often enriched with a spoonful of peanut butter, in which case it is called muriwo unedovi. Simple, nourishing and economical, it is the classic vegetable side served alongside sadza. In the UK the greens, peanut butter and other ingredients to make it are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Muriwo is the Zimbabwean relish of leafy greens cooked with onion and tomato.
- Common greens include covo, rape, tsunga and pumpkin leaves.
- When enriched with peanut butter it is called muriwo unedovi.
- It is the everyday vegetable side eaten with sadza.
- It is simple, nourishing and economical, and vegan unless peanut butter is added.
The smell of greens softening in the pan with onion and tomato is one of the most familiar in a Zimbabwean kitchen. Muriwo is the dish that turns up at almost every meal, the reliable green relish that sits beside a mound of sadza and makes an ordinary dinner feel complete. For many Zimbabweans in Britain, cooking a pot of it is a small daily act of home.
There is real heritage in its simplicity. Leafy greens have always been within reach in Zimbabwe, and generations of cooks have known how to coax them into something rich and satisfying with a little onion, tomato and, so often, a spoon of peanut butter. To make muriwo far from home is to keep that everyday tradition going, and to share a plate of greens and sadza is to share something honest and deeply Zimbabwean.
What Muriwo Actually Is
Muriwo is the Shona word for vegetables, and in everyday Zimbabwean cooking it refers to the relish of leafy greens that accompanies the main starch. The greens are chopped and simmered down with onion and tomato until they are soft, savoury and reduced, seasoned simply so the flavour of the vegetable comes through. It is a plain, wholesome dish, the green heart of a typical Zimbabwean plate.
Several greens can be used. Covo and rape are among the most common, along with tsunga, a mustard green, and pumpkin leaves when they are in season. Whichever is chosen, the method is much the same, and the result is the same comforting, homely relish. Muriwo belongs firmly to the everyday table of Zimbabwean food, the dependable vegetable side that appears again and again because it is nourishing, economical and easy to make.
Muriwo Unedovi, the Peanut Butter Version
One of the best loved forms of the dish enriches the greens with peanut butter. This version is called muriwo unedovi, greens with peanut butter, and it is a Zimbabwean favourite. A spoonful of peanut butter is stirred through the cooked greens, melting into a rich, savoury, faintly nutty sauce that coats the leaves and makes a simple relish feel indulgent and filling.
Peanut butter, known as dovi, is a cornerstone of Zimbabwean home cooking, used to enrich all sorts of dishes, and muriwo unedovi is one of the most familiar. It turns a modest pot of greens into something more substantial and satisfying, without much cost or effort. If you are cooking for anyone with a peanut allergy, note that this version contains peanuts; the plain version, made without peanut butter, is naturally vegan.
How Muriwo Is Made and Served
Making muriwo is straightforward. The greens are washed and chopped, then a base is started by frying onion, often with tomato, until soft. The greens go in and are cooked down gently until tender and reduced, seasoned to taste, and if peanut butter is being used it is stirred through towards the end so it melts smoothly into the greens. Cooks vary the balance of onion and tomato and how far they reduce the greens, but the dish stays simple by design.
Muriwo is above all the everyday partner to sadza, the thick maize porridge that is the staple of Zimbabwe. A scoop of sadza and a helping of greens is the classic pairing, eaten by hand, with the sadza used to gather up the relish. It sits happily alongside other relishes too, a meat or bean dish for instance, but on its own with sadza it makes a nourishing, budget-friendly meal that families eat all the time.
Where to Buy Muriwo Ingredients in the UK
Muriwo is a homemade dish, and its ingredients are easy to gather in Britain from African food shops. You will want fresh leafy greens such as covo, rape or tsunga where you can find them, along with onion, tomato and, for muriwo unedovi, a jar of peanut butter. Shops serving Zimbabwean and wider Southern African customers are the best place to look for the specific greens, and peanut butter is widely available. None of it is expensive, which is part of the appeal. You can find African food stores near you to see what is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is muriwo?
Muriwo is the Zimbabwean relish of leafy greens, chopped and simmered down with onion and tomato until soft and savoury. Common greens include covo, rape, tsunga and pumpkin leaves. It is the everyday vegetable side served with sadza, and it is often enriched with a spoonful of peanut butter, when it is called muriwo unedovi.
What is muriwo unedovi?
Muriwo unedovi is the peanut butter version of the dish, its name meaning greens with peanut butter. A spoonful of peanut butter, or dovi, is stirred through the cooked greens to make a rich, savoury, faintly nutty sauce. It is a Zimbabwean favourite that turns a simple pot of greens into something more filling. It does contain peanuts.
What greens are used to make muriwo?
Several leafy greens can be used, with covo and rape among the most common, along with tsunga, a mustard green, and pumpkin leaves when in season. Whichever green is used, the greens are chopped and cooked down with onion and tomato in much the same way, giving the same comforting, homely relish.
Is muriwo vegan?
Plain muriwo, made from leafy greens cooked with onion and tomato, is naturally vegan and a wholesome, economical vegetable dish. The peanut butter version, muriwo unedovi, is also plant-based but contains peanuts, so it is not suitable for anyone with a peanut allergy. Check which version you are eating if allergies are a concern.
Where can I buy muriwo ingredients in the UK?
Muriwo is made at home, so African food shops are the place to buy the ingredients: leafy greens such as covo, rape or tsunga, along with onion, tomato and peanut butter for muriwo unedovi. Shops serving Zimbabwean and Southern African customers are the best bet for the specific greens. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.