Past Tuesday, after coming home from a full day at the field station, my sister suggested we treat ourselves with some good food and a cosy evening in front of the TV. I asked her want she had in mind (foodwise), and she said: “Oh, can’t you make one of those nice pasta dishes that you make?” I answered: “Ah, you mean you want me to improvise! Of course!”

So - in true manor of Ishtar improvisation and in my quest of learning new tastes from Niger bush, I decided to put together a leafy dish made of gaseya leafs, which I had never tried before (those are the deep green leafs that you see above). To this, I added fresh basil from the veranda, Eden nuts, hanza beans, lots of garlic, some fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and spices.

I mixed it up with some freshly cooked pasta, added some cheese and then enjoyed TV dinner in front of the television with good company. It was a great evening and I must try the gaseya leafs again!