A dietary staple across East Africa, Ugali is a stiff, dough-like maize meal porridge. Its firm texture makes it the perfect accompaniment for stews like sukuma wiki (collard greens) or grilled meat (nyama choma).
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fine white maize meal
- 4 cups water
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
Instructions:
- Bring the water (with salt, if using) to a boil in a medium pot.
- Gradually pour in the maize meal while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon (mwiko).
- Keep stirring and pressing the mixture against the sides of the pot to break up any lumps.
- The ugali will thicken quickly and become increasingly difficult to stir. Continue to cook and turn it for 3-5 minutes.
- The ugali is ready when it is firm, pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pot, and forms a single mass.
- You can shape it into a ball or mound using your spoon or a small bowl.
- Serve hot, allowing each person to break off pieces to eat with their hands.
