Ugali & Sukuma Wiki Recipe

Next up, James and Alex will be teaching all of us how to make ugali and sukuma wiki. 

What are ugali and sukuma wiki?

According to Hiliary Kimuyu of Nairobi News, "[Uguali is] made from cornmeal that is added to boiling water and heated until it turns into a dense block of cornmeal paste, it is undeniably Kenya’s staple. [Sukuma wiki is] collard greens or kales. The nutritious green leafy vegetable is often cooked in oil with a few diced tomatoes, onions, and flavored with spices and served with ugali, rice or meat stew."

Why do we serve ugali and sukuma wiki?

According to our in-house nutrition expert Moses, “Sukuma wiki is high in vitamin K which helps with blood clotting, the activation of bone proteins, and greatly enhances calcium building properties, whereas ugali is a high energy food.” It makes total sense why our kids and young adults at Rehema Home Nairobi eat this twice a week!

How do I make ugali and sukuma wiki?

Simply follow the video and recipe below!

Cara Reindl, Director of Communications & Development at Rehema Home US, recently made sukuma wiki with her family.

James Baker's ugali & Sukuma Wiki Recipe

(Serves 2)

Ingredients for Ugali

1 cup water

1 cup white corn meal

NOTE: If you don't have white corn meal, you can
substitute with white corn grits or polenta.

Ingredients for Sukuma Wiki 

16 ounces/1 pound of collard greens  

1/4 cup vegetable oil    

1 onion (diced)     

2 tomatoes (diced)       

1 cup of water     

Cinnamon      

Garlic Powder     

Ginger Powder   

Turmeric Powder   

Recipe Preparation

Using the chiffonade method, cut the collard greens into thin strips and set aside.

Put oil in a medium saucepan and add the diced onions. Using medium-high heat, cook onions until golden brown. Add diced tomatoes and stir until fully incorporated. Cook for two minutes (the mixture will start to thicken). Add the collard greens and stir until fully incorporated. Cover with lid and cook for five minutes.

In a separate small bowl, mix water with a pinch of cinnamon, garlic powder, ginger powder, turmeric powder. Mix well with a small whisk or fork until all of the ingredients dissolve. Pour half the spice mix into the saucepan and stir until fully incorporated. Cover with lid and cook for an additional five minutes.

Remove from heat, keep covered, and let rest while you cook your ugali.

In the medium saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. Remove half the water and set aside.

Add the corn meal to the boiling water. Let it cook for 15 seconds. You will see that the water starts to cover the corn meal. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir to combine the ingredients. Little by little, add the reserved water to your saucepan while stirring.

NOTE: Traditional Kenyan ugali is quite dense, like a thick paste. If you'd like a looser consistency to your ugali then add more water to the saucepan.

Reduce heat to medium and keep stirring. You'll notice that the water is absorbed and that the ugali starting to stick together. Gather the ugali into a mound in the center of the saucepan. Let it continue to cook for two additional minutes.

Remove from heat, serve with your sukuma wiki, and enjoy!