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Kenya, Middle East and Africa

Githeri

Kenya's everyday one-pot meal: dried maize and red beans simmered until tender, then cooked down with onion, tomato and potato.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time2 h 40 min
Soaking+ 12 h
DifficultyEasy
About servingsDried red kidney beans contain a natural toxin that is only destroyed by proper boiling. Never cook them from raw in a slow cooker or at a gentle simmer, and never eat them undercooked.

Method

  1. Put the dried maize and beans in a large bowl, rinse them twice in cold water and pick out any stones or shrivelled beans. Cover with at least three times their volume of cold water and leave to soak overnight; they will roughly double in size.

    Add in this stepDried white maize kernels 100 gDried red kidney beans 100 g

  2. Drain and rinse, then tip them into a 3 L pot with the measured fresh water. Bring to the boil on high heat and keep it at a hard, rolling boil for ; red kidney beans must boil properly to be safe. Then turn down to medium-low heat, half-cover and simmer for , topping up with hot water so they stay covered, until a bean squashes easily between your fingers and the maize is tender but still chewy. Drain, keeping one cup of the cooking liquid.

    Add in this stepWater for boiling 1,500 ml

    high heat→medium-low heat

  3. Heat the oil in a 24 cm pan or wide pot on medium heat, add the onion and fry for , stirring now and then, until soft and golden at the edges.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbspOnion, chopped 1

    medium heat

  4. Add the garlic and curry powder and stir for until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and cook for , pressing them with the spoon, until they break down into a thick, jammy sauce.

    Add in this stepGarlic cloves, crushed 2Curry powder ½ tspMedium tomatoes, chopped 2

  5. Add the potato and carrot cut into 2 cm cubes, crumble in the stock cube and pour in about half a cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for , until a knife slides easily into the potato.

    Add in this stepMedium potatoes 1Medium carrots 1Chicken or vegetable stock cube ½

    medium-low heat

  6. Tip in the boiled maize and beans and stir well, adding a little more cooking liquid if it looks dry. Cook uncovered on medium-low heat for , lightly crushing a few beans so the sauce thickens. Taste and add salt, then stir in the coriander and serve hot.

    Add in this stepSalt to tasteFresh coriander, chopped 5 g

    medium-low heat

Cook's tip

A pressure cooker cuts the boiling to about 45 minutes after soaking. Dried maize and beans vary a lot with age, so test them instead of trusting the clock. Githeri tastes even better the next day; cook a big pot and reheat with a splash of water. In Kenya it is often eaten with slices of avocado.

Cooking it at camp

Boil the maize and beans at home, cool them quickly and carry them in a sealed container in a well-iced cooler. At camp, do steps 3 to 6 in one pot on a gas burner; it takes about 30 minutes and makes a filling one-pot meal.