Ombidi is a very popular Namibian spinach stew. It is made from wild spinach which grows in Namibia during rainy seasons (from November to March), onions and tomatoes.

The name of this dish is actually a word for spinach in Oshiwambo, the most commonly spoken language in Namibia, with about 49% of households using it.

As it grows in sandy fields, after picking, the wild spinach has to be washed several times. Traditionally it is then cooked for several hours in a large cast-iron three-legged pot over an open wood fire until the green color changes to pale green. Otherwise, it will taste bitter.

This is traditionally a vegan dish, so we didn’t have to adapt it a lot – we only used regular spinach, as we couldn’t find the wild Namibian one. Ombidi tastes delicious, it is healthy, quick and easy to make – what more can one wish for?!