How to Cook the Best Muthokoi

Muthokoi is very popular among the Akamba tribe. It refers to:
           a) Dry maize whose husks have been removed
           b) A cooked mixture of this maize with peas/beans

Making muthokoi takes a few hours and the process starts by boiling the maize with the peas/beans. It is then cooked with vegetables like onions, potatoes, cabbages,  cowpeas leaves or pumpkin leaves; the choice is yours.

In this recipe, we will be cooking muthokoi with the following items:

Ingredients (Serves 3)

• 1 cup muthokoi (dry maize with husks removed)
• 1 1/2 cups dry pigeon peas
• 1 large onion
• 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3 chopped tomatoes
• 3 chopped carrots
• Cooking oil
• Salt

The maize and peas can be soaked for two hours to soften them and make cooking easier. After soaking the water is discarded and clean water poured into a saucepan where they are boiled for about one and half hours.

Equally, they can be boiled for about three hours. Add water continously if it dries up. Once fully cooked, the muthokoi is drained with the water being poured away. If the water is not thrown away it could make the food go bad and have a foul smell.

Method:

1. Boil the muthokoi and peas, adding water continously until cooked.
2. Once the excess water has been drained, saute the onion in another large saucepan.
3. Add the crushed garlic and once a delicious aroma fills the air, add the carrots, tomatoes and potatoes.
4. Cook until the potatoes are almost done.
5. Add salt, royco and a little water and bring to a boil.
6. Pour the boiled muthokoi into the vegetables and cook for about ten minutes.
7. Serve

Muthokoi can also be cooked with cowpeas, green/fresh pigeon peas or any variety of beans.

If you decide to use green peas/beans, make sure that you cook the muthokoi (dry maize) for about thirty minutes before adding the beans/peas. This will ensure that the beans/peas do not become too cooked or mushy since they cook faster than dry maize.