"New Roots" provides communities with access to fresh, local, affordable and culturally appropriate food.
It's a program of the International Rescue Committee and it operates Wheaton Farm in Draper, where they allow farmers to grow fruit and vegetables and then they transport the crops to farmers markets for those farmers.
Bashire Nigaruga and his daughter Atosha Stela have a two-acre plot on that farm where they have freshly harvested jalapenos, sweet corn, cabbages, kale, shishitos, melons and more.
They joined us with a recipe for Igisupu Cy'Intore N'Umusoma or Eggplant and Pumpkin Leaf Stew.
Serves 4-6
- 1/2 lb African eggplants, cut into large pieces
- 1 lb pumpkin leaves
- 1 Tbsp palm oil
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 ripe medium tomatoes, skin removed and smashed or coarsely chopped
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the eggplant, stir, reduce the heat to medium-high, and boil for 20 minutes. Using a strainer, transfer eggplant to a bowl. Add the pumpkin leaves, return the heat to high, stir, and reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes. Using a strainer, transfer pumpkin leaves to a bowl.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the palm oil. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until it smells sweet, about 1 minute. Add the onion and continue to cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Let cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until all the liquid evaporates.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the bouillon cubes in the hot water. Once tomato mixture liquid has evaporated, add the bouillon cubes, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt and stir to combine. Add back the eggplant and pumpkin leaves and continue to cook until heated through.
Originally from The Republic of Burundi, Bashire has been in Utah since 2007 and is a proud father of six.
He joined the New Roots program as a farmer in 2020.
You can support New Roots at their last Saturday Market of the season on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 2pm at 3005 Lester Street in West Valley City.
For more information please visit newrootsslc.org/farmers-markets.
