Category: Ugali

How to Cook Ugali/Sima

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In almost every Kenyan family, Ugali is a staple food. It is also referred to as Sima in the coastal regions. It is a simple dish prepared by cooking two ingredients; water and maize/corn flour. Various communities in Kenya have their own local name for the dish. It is called ngima in my local dialect.

Ugali is also common in a number of other African countries like Tanzania, Uganda and Southern African countries each with its distinct name. Others like Nigeria prepare a common dish referred to as fufu cooked using cassava flour.

Ugali/Sima can be served with various vegetables like collards/kales, spinach, meat dishes and stews. Some of these vegetable dishes are found on this blog, so do check them out. Ugali provides the body with carbohydrates because the main food ingredient is maize or corn. Some people opt to add salt while cooking although it is not necessary. You have the option of cooking with or without the salt according to your taste and liking.

Ugali takes a relatively short time to cook. The following is the procedure.

Ingredients:  Serves two

1.)  4 cups of water
2.)  2 cups of maize flour/cornmeal

Procedure:

1.)  Pour water to a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil
2.)  Add a handful of the maize flour/cornmeal to the boiling water.
3.)  Using a flat wooden spoon, stir the mixture to form a porridge-like consistency.
4.)  Continue adding the maize flour a little at a time while pressing to the sides of the saucepan to remove any lumps.
5.)  If there are no more lumps stop stirring and let it cook for about ten minutes.
6.)  At this point the mixture has become firm. Stir with the wooden spoon again and let it cook for a further three to five minutes. 
7.)  Form the mixture into a round shape by bringing together the dough from the sides of the saucepan to the mixture. Transfer to a flat plate by turning the saucepan over on top of the plate.
8.) If need be, the ugali can be cut into smaller chunks.

You should allow the ugali to cool down for about two minutes before you start eating because it is usually pretty hot.
Most Kenyans eat using their hands by pinching a handful amount and using it to scoop vegetables. If the ugali is being eaten with a stew like omena, beans or vegetable soup, the ugali can be eaten using a spoon.

Beef stew in Coconut milk

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In a previous post I shared how to prepare a simple dish of green vegetables using coconut milk.
It is common practice to cook a lot of dishes in the coastal region with coconut. I will now share with you a quick method of preparing beef stew using coconut milk. It can be served with rice, ugali/sima (a firm cooked meal of corn flour and water), chapatis, pasta or any other accompaniment of your choice.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 kg Beef, cubed 
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 green or chili pepper (optional)
  • 4 pieces of garlic, crushed or chopped into tiny pieces
  • Oil for frying
  • Sat, and
  • Coconut milk

Follow this procedure:

  1.  Chop the onion, add oil and put on heat. Cook till tender.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for a minute
  3. Add the cubed beef pieces and stir to coat all the pieces with the onion and garlic flavors
  4. Cover and cook till beef is all browned. Do not allow the beef to stick to the sides or bottom off the cooking pot
  5. Add the bell peppers at once and continue stirring. Add salt and cover.
  6. Cook for about ten minutes then pour in the coconut milk into the cooking pot. Mix thoroughly.

 7. Cover again and let the food simmer for about five minutes then serve hot.

If you would like to add any spices, do add in moderation, so that the taste of the coconut milk is preserved. Enjoy your meal.

Collard greens/Spinach with coconut milk

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Previously, I shared with you a simple recipe of cooking collard greens (sukuma wiki) and spinach with few ingredients. In this recipe, I will show you how to prepare the collards in coconut milk.
Coconut milk can be bought from supermarkets ready to cook in its liquid form or dried where you would have to make the milk at home using water and sieving (if need be).

You can also buy the whole coconut fruit and using a special grater, make the milk commonly known as tui in Kenya and other East African countries. I will share with you the process of home made coconut milk in another article. But for now, here is the recipe where I used ready to cook coconut milk.

Ingredients (Serves three)
– Coconut milk ( 1 cup)

– Cooking oil and salt
– 1 onion
– 1 bunch spinach and sukuma wiki(collards)
– 2 large tomatoes
– Dhania (Coriander)
– Carrots (optional)
– Okra (optional)
– Pepper (optional)
– Royco (optional)

Method
1. Add cooking oil and chopped onions to sauce pan (sufuria) and cook till a little browned.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes, pepper, carrots, okra and coriander. Cook for a few minutes then add salt an royco if desired.

3. Add the chopped collards and spinach to the sufuria and cover to cook for about ten minutes.

4. Once the greens are almost cooked or start changing colour, pour in the coconut milk and and allow to simmer for five minutes.

5. Remove from heat and serve.

This dish is commonly served with ugali (sima), rice or chapatis.
Spices can be used sparingly in order to keep  the taste of the coconut.

Beef, Cabbage & Plantain stew

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I had promised to share a stew recipe of vegetables and beef, cooked by boiling only. I was taught this by an aunt of mine who had previously lived among a certain community in Kenya known for their vast cultivation of plantains. She told me that the community has been cooking the dish for decades. In the rural areas, they use an earthenware pot.
To be honest, the first time I heard the cooking procedure, I was surprised. How could anyone prepare a stew consisting of beef, plantains, potatoes and big chunks of cabbages by simply boiling?
It was on a Sunday morning and she left for church. I stayed at home. Her husband also remained behind and she told me and the house help that in case we needed assistance, we should ask her husband who was doing office work in the house. Apparently it is such an easy procedure he could easily do it too.
Since the food is boiled for a long period of time, we multi- tasked; cooking and doing the house chores. We lit a jiko(charcoal stove) and gathered all the ingredients. This was the beginning of my idea of cooking food by boiling only. Here we go:
Serves 4
•      6 -8 plantains
• 6-8 full potatoes
•      1 kg beef/ goat meat
• 1 cabbage cut into 4 quarters
•      3 tomatoes
•1 onion (or 2-3 stems of spring onions)
•      Salt
•Curry powder/Royco (optional)
•      Green bell pepper (optional)
•4-5 cups of Water
At times when I go visiting them, I notice that my uncle likes eating the dish as it is without any accompaniment except some fruit salad. I prefer serving it with Ugali(maize/corn flour mixed with water over a period of time until firm). Click here for the ugali recipe.
Method:
1.   In a large sauce pan, put the chunks of meat and add enough water so that you do not add any more during the cooking process. You’ll get to learn how much water you need for your dish if you cook frequently.
2.   Let the meat boil for about one hour thirty minutes. You can add salt at his point or wait and add later after adding the other ingredients.
3.    Add the potatoes, cover and continue boiling for about seven minutes.
4.    Add the peeled plantains and avoid stirring frequently so that the potatoes and plantains do not crumble. Boil for a further seven minutes.
5.    Arrange the quartered cabbages on top and cook till the cabbages are soft.
6.    Add chopped tomatoes, onion and bell pepper and cook till done. Stir to mix all the ingredients.
7.    Add curry powder or royco if desired.
8.    Serve hot.
You will notice that the big chunks of quarter cabbages will be fully cooked.
You will not use any oil in the dish. Meat contains animal fat which is enough.
Notice that the ingredients are added ACCORDING to how long each takes to cook. Meat and potatoes take a longer time than tomatoes and cabbages.
The more you cook this dish, the more you will be able to adequately measure the amount of water needed. The 4-5 cups stated is an estimate since it also depends on the amount of heat you use. I would suggest you use medium heat.
So, there you go. Try it.

Fish stew

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Here is a simple recipe I like for cooking fish like tilapia. It doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare and can be served with ugali or rice.

Ingredients:
1. 1 whole fish, cleaned
2. 1 onion
3. 2 large tomatoes
4. Dhania/Coriander
5. Crushed ginger
6. Crushed garlic
7. Fresh lemon juice
8. Pepper (optional)
9. Royco

 Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, ginger and fresh lemon juice.
2. Slit the fish across two or three times depending on the size.
3. Insert the crushed garlic, ginger and lemon juice into the open slits.
4. Deep fry the fish on both sides till brown and cooked.
5. Saute onions in little oil in a cooking pot till transluscent.
6. Add tomatoes and dhania.
7. Add salt then cook till they form a paste.
8. In a bowl, mix & stir 1/2 cup of water and royco.
9. Add to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil.
10.Put whole fish into the pot then let cook for ten minutes on both sides.
11.Serve with fried rice or ugali.

Don’t cook the fish in the pot for too long so that it does not crumble.
Royco can be substituted with curry powder or any spice of your choice. You can also add it directly to the tomato paste without first mixing with water in a bowl.Curry powder doesn’t need to be mixed with water before adding to the pot.