Category: garlic

Collard greens & Spinach

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In Kenya, collards are very popular and almost every household cooks them. They are commonly referred to as Sukuma wiki, meaning ‘push the week’. They are mostly served with ugali, the staple food.
Most households have a recipe they prefer to others, but the most common ingredients are four- the collards, tomatoes, onions and oil. There would be no need to add water if enough tomatoes are used.

I personally love cooking this dish, especially in the evening when I get home tired, because it is quick to prepare. I put water in a saucepan and place on heat to boil as I clean the vegetables.

However, adding spinach and a few spices makes it more delicious and enjoyable. Meat can also be added or cooked alone as a thick stew. Others cook a side dish of eggs with tomatoes. For this recipe, we shall cook the collards with these other vegetables.

Serves 3
Ingredients:

  • 5-7 leaves of spinach 
  • 5-7 leaves of sukuma wiki/collard greens
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Oil & salt

Method:
1. Wash and then chop both the collards and spinach in same large bowl.
2. Place oil in sauce pan and heat.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook till translucent.
4. Add crushed garlic and cook for a further one minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till they form a paste. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and cover.
6. Cook for between seven to ten minutes until the greens are soft. If too dry, add a little water or stock.
7.  Remove from heat and serve.

This simple dish can also be served with rice.
A little crushed ginger can also be added together with the garlic. Any curry powder could also be added either after the onions and garlic or after the greens.

Next, I’ll share with you a collard recipe mixed with meat/beef.
Hope you enjoy this.

Quick Bean stew

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In a number of estates in Nairobi, it is common to find food vendors selling cooked Githeri, beans and green grams. You can eat the Githeri as it is or cook further with additional ingredients. Whenever I get home feeling tired, I buy from these food vendors then quickly fry them at home.

For the beans, here is a simple and easy to cook recipe. You can serve with rice, chapati or ugali.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup boiled beans, drained
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 spring onion
  • Royco/curry powder
  • 1 bunch dania/coriander
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a cooking pot.
2. Add chopped onions and saute for about three minutes on medium heat.
3. Add crushed garlic and cook for two more minutes
4. Add tomatoes and dania, then cook till they form a paste.
5. Add royco/curry powder, stir and cook for about two minutes. Do not let them stick to the  cooking pot.
6. Add beans and stir to mix all the ingredients. Cook for about ten minutes stirring every five minutes to avoid sticking to pot.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Taste for salt because of the royco, and if not enough add then simmer for about seven minutes.

Also, you can add green bell pepper and eggplant to the recipe. After adding the crushed garlic, add the bell pepper & cook till soft. Add the tomatoes, coriander and eggplant together but do not cook for long without adding a little water since the eggplant may absorb the oil. Add the other ingredients as above.

How to Fry Rice

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Rice is a very easy food to prepare. There are so many recipes available from differrent counties and communities. The rice can be white or brown, with the brown being more nutritious because it has more fibre than the white variety.
I will share this simple recipe I cook often and greatly love. I am certain you will love it too.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2kg Washed and drained white rice
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 2 Crushed garlic cloves
  • Oil
  • Water

Preparation:

  1. Add oil to a cooking pot and turn on the heat.
  2. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute until the onions turn light brown.
  3. Add enough water to cook the rice without draining. Bring to a boil.
  4. Pour rice to the boiling water and add salt to taste.
  5. Cook until done. Serve hot.

The cooked rice will have a light brown colour.  It can be served with a variety of stews and vegetables.It can also be eaten as a complete dish.

I love the fact that the recipe is easy to prepare and requires few ingredients. It is advisable to add salt so as to make it more delicious.