Innovative dishes and micronutrient composition of traditionally preserved Amaranthus, Vigna unguiculata and Bidens pilosa

The study aimed to develop innovative vegetable dishes using three indigenous crops to enhance consumption by children. A quantitative approach using traditional preservation, experimental and laboratory-based methodologies for development of recipes and the nutrient analysis was used. This involved developing the dishes Amaranthus cabbage, Bidens dumpling, and Fishpea. Nutrient analysis was done at the Aspirata food and nutrient analysis laboratory in Cape town. Sensory evaluation results suggest that all three dishes were acceptable and liked by children for all three attributes of colour, taste, and smell, with Amaranthus cabbage as the most highly acceptable. The results on the palatability of the three dishes using open-ended questions affirm that more children had positive comments on the dishes – which concurs with the quantitative data. The findings emphasize the importance of culinary services where innovation, imitation, and diffusion are still in a development phase especially for indigenous foods.