Ugali with Sukuma Wiki

Method

1. Wash the collard leaves, shake them dry and cut out the thick central stems. Stack 5 or 6 leaves, roll them up tightly like a cigar and slice across as thinly as you can, 2 to 3 mm. These fine ribbons are the secret of quick, tender sukuma. Slice the onion and chop the tomato and chilli.

2. Bring the ugali water to the boil in a heavy 18 cm pot on high heat, about 4 min. When it is boiling hard, turn down to medium heat and sprinkle in about a third of the maize meal with one hand while stirring constantly with the other, to make a thin porridge; this prevents lumps. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes.

   Add in this stepWater (for the ugali) 550 mlFine white maize meal (cornmeal) 72 g

   high heat→medium heat

3. Turn down to medium-low heat and add the rest of the maize meal in a few additions, stirring hard with a wooden spoon. As it thickens, press the dough against the side of the pot, fold it back and repeat for 5 min. It is ready when there is no dry flour left and it pulls cleanly away from the sides in one smooth mass. Take care: hot maize can spit.

   Add in this stepFine white maize meal (cornmeal) 168 g

   medium-low heat

4. Gather the dough into a ball with the spoon, cover and leave on low heat for 3 min so it steams through. Turn off the heat and leave it covered; it stays warm while you make the sukuma.

   low heat

5. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan on medium heat and cook the onion and chilli for 4 min, until soft and lightly golden.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbspOnion, sliced 100 gGreen chilli, chopped (optional) ½

   medium heat

6. Add the tomato, crumble in the stock cube, sprinkle with the salt and cook on medium heat for 3 min, until the tomato collapses into a sauce.

   Add in this stepTomato, chopped 1Stock cube (optional) ½Salt ½ tsp

   medium heat

7. Add all the shredded greens and toss on medium-high heat for 4 min, just until bright green and wilted. Stop there: overcooked greens turn olive-brown and lose their flavour. Turn the ugali out onto a plate and serve with the sukuma. In Kenya you pinch off a piece of ugali, roll it into a ball, press a dent in it with your thumb and use it to scoop up the greens.

   Add in this stepCollard greens (or kale) 300 g

   medium-high heat