Boo sauce is a healthy dish since it is a vegetable and is made from the leaves of the cowpea plant. It is filled with a lot of nutrients like proteins and carbohydrates, which help fight any kind of disease.
It has a firm anchorage in the tradition of the Luo since it is the priority at the top of their menus, but it is also eaten in the central and eastern parts of Uganda. One may be familiar with the local names Egobe (Luganda), Eboo (Ateso), Boyo (Lango) and Itoke (Lugwere).
This specific vegetable plant is grown in the backyard of every homestead, and both the leaves and seeds are edible. It is prepared both fresh and dried, and it can be fried, pasted, or boiled.
How Boo is prepared as a fresh vegetable
Preparing a meal depends on the number of people in the home. One has to have a sauce pan, a wooden spoon, chopped Boo, Simsim, peanuts, chopped okra, and rock salt.
One has to wash the fresh leaves of the boo thoroughly with clean water and dry them in the sun for about 30 minutes to remove any remaining soil. The leaves are then chopped into small pieces; the okra is also washed and chopped; water is put into the sauce pan; rock salt is added; and it is allowed to boil.
The bouillon is added and cooked for about 15 minutes, then frequently checked in order to identify the change in color, and when the color turns yellowish, it is an indicator that the rock salt is enough. Add the simsim, reduce the heat until the sauce develops a thick texture, add salt, and serve.
How it is prepared when dried
The leaves of Boo are dried using a special technique: the leaves are first boiled with salt, dried under the sun, and then pounded and added to the peanut sauce by just immersing them in hot water.
The Boo sauce is served with millet bread, posho, rice, sweet potatoes, cassava, and other traditional foods.
More than 50 percent of people in northern Uganda consume boo; it is a tailor for individuals, and it is traditionally cooked with the aim of bringing good luck in marriage.
Boo is an important sauce for human health; for instance, it helps improve digestion and sleep disorders. It also acts as a treatment for diabetes, protecting the body from heat and detoxifying it.
Boo is also good for maintaining body weight, stimulating healthy skin, and ensuring blood circulation in the body.
Boo sauce is a green vegetable with a strong aroma and is considered a healthy dish. It is a group of cowpeas, and its leaves are freshly plucked from the plant in the garden. It is important to pluck only the leaves because the branches make the sauce hard to eat.
The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse, ranging from traditional foods and dishes that are passed on from generation to generation.
