Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Kenya's staple maize meal, cooked into a smooth porridge that firms up enough to cut and scoop. A comforting partner for stews and greens.
Ugali is the everyday staple across Kenya and much of East Africa: white cornmeal cooked with water until it stiffens and pulls away from the pan, somewhere between thick polenta and a firm dough. The flavour is mild and faintly toasty, which is exactly why it works so well alongside a punchy stew or a pile of greens. You tear off a piece and use it to scoop, so it doubles as both side dish and cutlery.
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Prep 2 min
Cook 15 min
Total 17 min
Easy
Preparation
- Bring the water to the boil in a medium saucepan.
- Lower the heat and, whisking constantly, trickle in the cornmeal a little at a time. It will start to thicken quite quickly.
- Keep cooking over low heat, stirring all the while with a sturdy wooden spoon, until the ugali pulls away from the sides of the pan, holds together and smells of roasted corn. Turn it out onto a serving plate straight away and, if you like, shape it into a thick round with the back of a spoon or a spatula.
- It carries on firming as it cools and will soon be solid enough to slice with a knife, much like firm polenta.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Trickle the cornmeal into boiling water a little at a time, whisking as you go, to keep it lump-free.
- Once it starts to thicken, switch to a sturdy spoon and keep it moving constantly.
- It's ready when it comes cleanly away from the sides of the pan and smells of roasted corn.
- Shape it straight away while it's hot, because it sets fast as it cools.
Frequently Asked Questions
A staple East African dish of white cornmeal cooked with water into a firm, dough-like mass, much like a stiff polenta.
Stews, sukuma wiki (braised greens) or grilled meat are the usual partners. You tear off pieces and use them to scoop up the rest of the meal.
The cornmeal went in too fast. Add it slowly while whisking, and keep stirring the whole time it cooks.
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