Zogale (Moringa Salad) And Macaroni
Overview
Zogale is a traditional Hausa dish from northern Nigeria made from fresh or dried moringa leaves combined with macaroni, groundnut paste, spices, and chilli into a complete, nutritionally dense meal. The moringa tree, known locally as zogale, grows abundantly across northern Nigeria and has been used in cooking and traditional medicine by the Hausa people for generations. The dish is remarkably nutritious, moringa leaves are exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, making Zogale a meal that nourishes as much as it satisfies. In northern Nigerian communities where moringa trees are household staples, Zogale is an everyday practical food rather than a special occasion dish.
AFN Heritage Note
Zogale originates from the Hausa food culture of northern Nigeria, where the moringa tree has been a household staple for centuries. The Hausa name zogale refers specifically to the moringa plant (Moringa oleifera), which originated in South Asia but was introduced to West Africa where it adapted readily to the dry Sahelian climate. Hausa communities have developed numerous ways of incorporating moringa into daily cooking, of which this salad is the most widely known.
Ingredients
Dietary tags are provided by contributors as a guide, not verified by AFN, and they depend on the products you buy. If you have a serious allergy, check every ingredient yourself. Cooking, allergies and your own judgement
Directions
- 1
Add water to macaroni in a pot and parboil for 5 minutes.
- 2
Wash and drain and pour back into pot.
- 3
Again, add water just above the macaroni level.
- 4
Cover pot half-way. Macaroni foams a lot of bubbles while cooking . Covering pot half-way allows the bubbles to escape.
- 5
Add a pinch of salt.
- 6
Drain in a colander.
- 7
Wash and drain liver.
- 8
Cut in small cubes.
- 9
Add seasoning cube, onion, ground pepper, pinch of salt.
- 10
Stir-fry in a sauce pan until brown and soft for 5 minutes. Do not deep-fry. This will make the liver hard and lose its nutritious value.
- 11
Hand-pick moringa leaves from its stems (stem is hard and cooks longer than the leaves, making the leaves over-cooked).
- 12
Pour leaves in a bowl and add hot water to cover leaves.
- 13
Cook for 10 minutes.
- 14
Allow leaves to settle for 5 minutes.
- 15
The hot water makes any sand or dirt to settle at the bottom of the bowl and makes the leave softer and edible.
- 16
Drain hot water and wash leaves thorough in cold water, making sure all sand and debris is removed.
- 17
Drain excess water in colander.
- 18
Add macaroni and moringa leaves in a bowl. Wash and cut carrots, bell pepper, onion and cucumber.
- 19
Add all ingredients to the bowl.
- 20
Add the liver.
- 21
Toss all ingredients to get a good mix.
- 22
Add lime (optional).
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