Make the best ugali! This Kenyan recipe is absolutely easy to put together, and makes for the perfect side dish as it can be served with so many dishes!
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I always get excited when I get to share recipes from my birth country Kenya; as East-African food is just amazing! New here? Then you definitely want to check out my Swahili Kenyan Pilau, Githeri, Ndengu, and Chapati recipes. You will also find a collection of African dishes to browse through. These are all packed with flavour, and use readily available ingredients so I am sure you will love them all!
what is ugali?
Ugali is a dish made by cooking maize flour (course cornmeal similar to polenta in texture) into a type of mush. It is a popular meal in most African countries where it goes by different names. Due to its relatively neutral taste, and ease of preparation, it is popularly served as a side dish alongside vegetables such as sukuma wiki (collard greens), soups, and stews. In Kenya, ugali is considered one of the national dishes and is eaten almost daily by every Kenyan.
kitchen utensils you will need
Here are the kitchen utensils you will require to make ugali.
- a wooden spoon- ugali is best made using a flat wooden spoon, known as mwiko in Swahili. It is something that never misses in an African household and is actually a kitchen utensil that has been used in several Swahili proverbs. Don't worry if you don't own a mwiko as you can, however, still use any other type of wooden spoon.
- a cooking pot - medium-sized and deep enough to fill halfway with some water. I do not recommend using a saucepan or skillet.
- a cup and a plate - use the cup to reserve some water. You will need the plate to serve the ugali in.
ingredients
While there are many variations to making ugali, the authentic way uses just two ingredients and this is the method used, in this recipe. Here is what you will require:
- coarsely ground maize flour (cornmeal) - we traditionally use the white variety in Kenya, but the colour of maize flour doesn't really matter so feel free to use the yellow variety if that is what you have around. In Europe and the States, you can easily get it in the African and Asian markets under the name white corn flour, coarsely ground cornmeal or simply white maize flour.
- water - you will need some simple regular tap water.
As you can see, the ingredients needed are pretty basic, nothing fancy! Some people like to add a pinch of salt or margarine to the ugali, just before cooking, but that is totally optional.
how to make ugali
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to make ugali the East-African way. This is a summary, a detailed and printable recipe card has been provided at the bottom of this page.
First, switch on your stove to high. Using a medium-sized and deep pot, bring water to a boil. The water needs to be very hot. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and set ½ a cup of water aside.
To the pot, add the maize flour (coarse cornmeal), a quarter of a cup at a time, and use a wooden spoon to stir, using circular motions so it resembles a thick porridge. Be careful and keep a distance as it will start to bubble.
Continue adding the maize flour or coarse cornmeal a little at a time, and stirring until all of it has been used up and the mixture is firm. Using the wooden spoon, poke small holes on the surface of the ugali and add the previously preserved hot water to the holes. Cover and allow to cook stirring halfway through, or until all the water has evaporated and the bottom of the pan is browned up but not burning.
Next, run the wooden ugali spoon under tap water (this helps with the shaping). Continue to shape it in the pot until you have an almost perfectly round ball. Transfer the pot from the stove and tip it upside down to a plate. Serve ugali hot, with your favourite dishes.
what to serve with ugali
Serve ugali with:-
- Nyama Choma
- Kenyan Beef stew
- Sukuma Wiki
- Kachumbari
- Samaki wa Kupaka, chicken stew, or your favorite vegetables and grilled dishes!
storing
The good news is that ugali can indeed be reheated and eaten the next day. Some people swear that it actually tastes better reheated! You can keep it in the fridge or freezer as follows:-
- In the refrigerator - using suitable airtight containers, keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freezing- similarly, freeze ugali using freezer-friendly containers or bags with best-by dates for up to 6 months.
reheating ugali
Cooled ugali will form a thick layer on the surface, especially when it has been out longer than a day. Before reheating, peel this layer so it can heat up properly. You can easily reheat ugali as follows:
- using a pan - you can easily warm ugali without a microwave by using a pan. Simply heat a pan, then add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once the oil has heated, slice ugali into medium slices and pan-fry each side for 3-5 minutes. You can test one by cutting through; it should be all warmed up. Otherwise, simply pan-fry for a further 2-5 minutes.
- in the microwave - slice into thick pieces (each similar to the size of a serving of cake), place in suitable microwave-friendly containers, and reheat at 600 watts for 2 minutes. It should be heated through to the middle. If not, simply pop it back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes.
- re-cooking - you can also give leftover ugali new life by entirely recooking it. Simply slice leftover ugali into small pieces and add this to boiling water. Stir using a wooden spoon and once it bubbles, add new cornmeal and cook as per this recipe.
useful tips
Here are a few ways you can take the flavours of your ugali a notch higher!
- creaminess - make your ugali creamy by stirring in a tablespoon of margarine or butter.
- salt - add ⅓ of a teaspoon of salt, for a salty flavor.
- milk - substitute half of the water with milk. Just make sure to keep an eye on the boiling liquid as unlike water, milk will spill over when boiled.
- do not limit yourself to maize flour, you can also make ugali using sorghum or millet flour instead.
frequently asked questions
It has a very neutral taste, similar to unflavoured popcorn. Some people actually find it to be tasteless but this totally depends on the palate. Its neutral taste is what makes it such a great side dish, as it pairs up well with just about anything.
Ugali has some vitamins and minerals from maize flour or meal. 100 grams (or ½ cup) has 398 calories comprising 77 grams of carbohydrates, 10.4 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of fat. This means that it is a healthy, fiber-packed food that you can incorporate into your diet. However, seeing that this is mostly carbohydrates, it is considered to be low in terms of nutrition content, when consumed on its own and it is recommended to serve it with healthy vegetables and protein, for a balanced meal. I recommend that you speak to a nutritionist for a detailed nutritional breakdown.
The two are actually different. Although both are starchy side dishes eaten in most African countries, fufu, which also goes by the name foufou or foofoo, differs from ugali in that it is made from cassava tubers (yuca) or yam. Ugali, on the other hand, is made by cooking maize flour (cornmeal) in boiling water and stirring until it forms a dense ball.
Fufu is made by blending or pounding peeled starchy tubers (normally cassava (yuca) or yam tubers) into a thick batter, which is then cooked until it reduces to a stretchy form. Once cooked, fufu is normally shaped into balls and served with stews and soups, such as egusi.
Fufu is less compact or dense than ugali and more stretchy.
You will know the ugali is cooked when it easily pulls away from the bottom of the pot and starts to give a strong aroma of corn. A small ball pinched between the thumbs will not be too sticky or grainy. Also, an unproven theory is that a ball of ugali that has cooked through, will not stick when thrown against a wall and will instead fall down.
more delicious Kenyan recipes to try!
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📖 Recipe
Ugali Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups maize flour (coarse cornmeal)
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- First, switch on your stove to high. Using a medium-sized and deep pot, bring water to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and set ½ a cup of water aside.
- To the pot, add the maize flour (cornmeal), a quarter of a cup at a time, and use a wooden spoon to stir, using circular motions. At this point, it should be slightly thick and resemble porridge.
- Continue adding the maize flour (cornmeal) a little at a time, and stirring until all of it has been used up and the mixture is firm. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Using the wooden spoon, poke small holes on the surface of the ugali and add the previously preserved hot water to the holes. Next, cover and allow to cook for a further 5 minutes stirring halfway through, or until all the water has evaporated and the bottom of the pan is browned up but not burning.
- Use the wooden spoon to transfer the ugali to the side of the pot. You will know the ugali is cooked when it easily pulls away from the bottom of the pot and starts to give a strong corn aroma. A small ball pinched between the thumbs will also feel slightly sticky and not grainy.
- Finally, run the wooden spoon under tap water (this helps with the shaping). Shape the ugali in the pot until you have something that resembles a round ball.
- Take the pot from the stove and tip it upside down onto a plate, so the ugali now falls to the plate. You can shape it again using a wooden stick. Serve ugali while hot with Kachumbari, nyama choma, sukuma wiki, or your favourite dishes.
Notes
- You will know the ugali is cooked when it easily pulls away from the bottom of the pot and starts to give a strong aroma of corn. A small ball pinched between the thumbs will not be too sticky or grainy. Also, an unproven theory is that a ball of ugali that has cooked through, will not stick when thrown against a wall and will instead fall down.
- While the authentic recipe uses no butter or salt, feel free to add this if you prefer.
Jere Cassidy
Thank you for posting this recipe as I love reading what foods are cooked in other countries. This is similar to my grandmother's cornmeal mush she served for breakfast with eggs.
Sara LaFountain
Delicious! I have never tried Ugali until now. This recipe was easy to follow and tasted fantastic. Kids loved it too.
Kate Hahnel
So happy you enjoyed it. It is such an easy meal to put together. Nutritious too.
Jere Cassidy
This is like the southern cornmeal grits or polenta that makes such a great base for eggs and stews. Glad to read about your recipe of ugali.
Kate Hahnel
Hello Cassidy, yes it is! My late mother always said it is what the ancestors of the current African-Americans brought with them to America, the only difference being that the American version is much richer. Ugali is also eaten in almost if not all of the African countries, whereby some like in Zimbabwe, cook theirs to a much lighter consistency.
Jazz
I love the context you provided with this recipe as much as I enjoyed the ugali itself. Will be making this again--thank you!
Kate Hahnel
Thank you very much, that makes me so happy!
Lilly
This was my first time making ugali and I enjoyed every moment of it! I paired it with sauteed veggies and it as delicious!
Tamara
I am so happy I was able to execute this recipe so beautifully! It was pretty simple to make, and truly delicious!
Kaluhi
Love me some ugaand this guide is perfect !
Jen
I was very excited when I came across this dish as I love trying African recipes. The ugali was easy to make and very comforting! I’ll definitely be making this again.
Chenée
Mine came out perfect! Thanks for the tips. I made it with your beef stew recipe and it was the best dinner I've made in a while!
Crystal DaCruz
My family is from Cape Verde and we utilize cornmeal a lot in our cooking! My family loved this ugali. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica
I added a little butter to mine and served with vegetables in a sauce and a little salad and it was perfect. I'll definitely be making ugali from now on!
Robin
I'm a big fan of ugali because it reminds me of grits. Simply delicious.
Kate Hahnel
Yes! It is amazing how much food unites us. I was just thinking ugali is very similar to the African-American grits. Southern Collard Greens are similar to what we call sukuma wiki in Swahili.
Marta
I added salt and a little half and half to my pot of ugali and it was a huge hit with my family. We'll definitely be making this often.