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Kenyan · South African

Ugali

Vegetarian

A firm, smooth stiff porridge of white maize meal and water, shaped into a mound and eaten by hand with stews and greens. The everyday starch of much of East and Southern Africa.

Ugali is a Kenyan side dish, ready in about 17 minutes and made with cornmeal. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Maize meal ugali and sukuma wiki
Photo: Paresh Jai from Nairobi, Kenya / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-2.0
Prep
2 min
Cook
15 min
Total
17 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
272

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring the water (and salt, if using) to the boil in a heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab).

  2. Step 2

    Lower the heat and add the maize flour gradually, stirring constantly with a sturdy wooden spoon to stop lumps forming.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: The mixture spits as it thickens — keep a lid nearby and stir with a long spoon.

  3. Step 3

    Keep pressing and folding the mixture against the side of the pan until it is very thick, pulls away cleanly and smells toasty.

    • 6 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Cover and leave on the lowest heat for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and shape into a smooth dome with a wet spoon.

    • 2 min
    • low heat

About this dish

Origin
East and Southern Africa · Origin uncertainEaten under many names across the region (nshima in Zambia and Malawi, pap in South Africa, sadza in Zimbabwe); no single country of origin.Also popular in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes · Porridge & cereals
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
mild, earthy
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Everyday
Cook more with
Cornmeal
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

272 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 325 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 83%
  • Fat 9%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy272 kcal84 kcal
Protein6.1 g1.9 g
Carbohydrate57.7 g17.7 g
Net carbohydrate52.2 g16.1 g
Sugars0.5 g0.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5.5 g1.7 g
Fat2.7 g0.8 g
Saturated fat0.4 g0.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium31 mg10 mg
Salt equivalent0.1 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
215 mg
Calcium
30 mg
Iron
2.6 mg
Magnesium
100 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
8 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
19 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: salt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • To eat, pinch off a piece, roll it into a ball and press a dent with your thumb to scoop up stew or greens.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the flour too fast makes lumps; adding too little leaves it soft rather than firm.

Serve with

  • Serve with sukuma wiki, nyama choma, beef stew or fried fish.

Storage

  • Best freshly made. Leftovers can be refrigerated for a day.

Reheating

  • Slice leftovers and fry in a little oil until crisp.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 2

Reviews & corrections

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