How To: Sliced Potato Greens

Potato Greens dish is one of those classic meal cooked in West Africa, especially in Liberia with vegetable oil or red palm oil (recipes coming soon). Potato greens are the mildly flavored leaves of the sweet potato plant, often eaten in Asia and Africa.

While sweet potatoes are more often grown for eating in the United States, in many parts of Asia and Africa, sweet potatoes are grown, at least in part, for their edible greens. The sweet potato dates back to prehistoric times, likely originating in the tropical climates of Peru and Ecuador.  These vines have a delicate texture and can be used similarly to spinach or turnip greens.  Like turnip greens, sweet potato greens are slightly bitter and tough, so are best prepared in a way that reduces that bitterness. In African cooking, potato greens are boiled or fried, chop finer and use in any recipe.

Growing up in Liberia, we had no electronic processer or blender to quickly slice the potato greens for cooking. So, we purchase the greens from the market or gather from our backyard garden and wash very thoroughly in salt water. Then, using a sharp knife to chop the greens for cooking. So simple…yes indeed but you have to be careful with the knife.