How to Make Ugali

Although Kenya is a small country, cuisine varies based on region. People who live in the western and northern parts of the country, for example, eat a diet that consists mainly of fish, because of proximity to Lakes Victoria and Turkana. People in the central and mountain regions eat stored foods such as dry beans and yams. Coastal people eat spicy stews, because of proximity to spice plantations in Tanzania and Zanzibar, and people in the nation's capital, Nairobi, eat international fusion cuisine. In spite of their culinary differences, the one dish upon which Kenyans agree is ugali, a versatile, steamed cornmeal staple food served with almost every meal.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups of white cornmeal
• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• Wooden cooking spoon

Instructions

1. Heat two cups of cold water in a saucepan. Place the pan on high heat so that the water can heat more quickly. Add 1/4 tsp. of salt to the water as a flavor enhancer. The water is ready for the cornmeal to be added when it starts to give off a little bit of steam. Reduce the burner to medium heat before you add the cornmeal to prevent burning.

2. Add two cups of cornmeal. Add the cornmeal to the hot water gradually. Constantly stir the cornmeal into the hot water. The mixture becomes thicker and thicker as you add more cornmeal.

3. Shape the cornmeal into a round loaf. Use your wooden cooking spoon to shape the cornmeal in the pot. Traditional ugali has the appearance of a round cake. A wooden spoon allows you to manipulate the cornmeal as much as you want without scraping and ruining the inside of your pot.

4. Cover your saucepan. Turn the burner to medium-low heat and let the ugali steam for 20 minutes. Ugali must steam for 20 minutes to absorb all the water and to become soft. Ugali is considered ready to eat when the cornmeal is completely cooked.

5. Remove ugali from the pan and place it on a serving dish. Remove ugali from the pan by running a butter knife carefully around the edges of your saucepan. Place a serving dish on top of the saucepan, and turn the saucepan upside down on the serving dish . Shake the pot slightly to dislodge the ugali "cake."

Tips & Warnings

• Adding uncooked cornmeal to water that is heated, rather than boiled, allows more time for the cornmeal to cook thoroughly.

References

• Embassy of the Republic of Kenya: Culture