Mukimo

Mukimo is a dish of a Kenyan origin. It is traditionally served as the main dish of a meal, now in many parts of Africa.

The nutritional value of this native dish is very high. Mukimo has been used as an alternative for different side dishes, such as rice, chapati, ugali, and pancakes, all used to accompany the main meal.

Mukimo only requires simple, affordable, and most accessible ingredients, usually obtained from the nearest market stalls and from the farm.

This dish is also cooked relatively quickly, only taking about 45 minutes to make. It also can be stored without going bad, making it perfect for leftovers.

Serve with Kachumbari, Sukuma Wiki, and Cassava Leaf Soup.

What to eat with mukimo?

Mukimo is a starchy side dish that is perfect alongside vegetable and protein dishes, particularly ones that are spicy or have lots of sauce and flavor. Try it with some of your favorite stews! Also, you can just eat alone, or as a quick healthy breakfast.

Where is mukimo from?

Kenya has different tribes that spice up its culture. One of the main tribes is the Gikuyu people, who reside in the central part of Kenya. They are mainly involved in the farming of food crops, such as maize, beans, peas, and potatoes.

These people eventually came up with a dish that is associated with them, because it is representative of their best crops. The ease of obtaining these local ingredients make it a very economical dish, which was hepful in mukimo eventually spreading out to different peoples all over Kenya.

There are different forms invented from different cultures based on the availability of ingredients. Though the dish’s ingredients or method of cooking may change slightly, it still usually retains resemblance to the original.

How to make mukimo?

For example, peanuts are widely available in the western region of Kenya. Therefore, grounded peanuts are usually added to the recipe. 

Moreover, the peas or the beans can be substituted for with Kenyan black beans popularly known as ‘njahi’. In other places, people prefer to have a different color in the mukimo and so they avoid the green color. They instead keep the white color of the potatoes as the dominant color.

In place of potatoes, there have been replacements made with the sweet potatoes, arrowroots, and yams. This has been incorporated to increase the nutrition value, and cater to those that have an issue with consuming potatoes, or do not have easy access to them.

Recently, there has been a new invention of making mukimo using ripe bananas, which has been greatly embraced by a majority of the elderly people.

Mukimo nutrition:

This African meal is a rich meal full of high nutrition value. The potatoes and maize give the carbohydrate value, beans offer the protein and calcium minerals, and the green pumpkin leaves provide the vitamins. Therefore, it is a whole meal in itself even without considering its accompaniments. The mineral content is not any less, this food offers potassium, magnesium, and manganese from the potatoes and many more from the other constituents.

How to make mukimo: requirements

The following are some essential tools needed in the preparation and cooking of mukimo. They include:

• Cooking pot (Sufuria)
• Wooden spoon
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Three large bowls
• Food Processor
• Source of heat

Mukimo recipe:

The necessary components to make mukimo include:

• Irish potatoes
• Corn kernels
• Beans or peas of choice
• Pumpkin leaves (I used spinach)
• Tablespoon of salt
• Cooking oil
• Onion

How to cook mukimo?

1. Peel the potatoes and rinse them. Keep them in a bowl, covered with clean water.
2. Shell the corn and remove the grains from the cobs. This is to ensure that it is easier to boil them.
3. Mix the corn kernels with beans or peas, based on what you have available. The result of this mixture is termed as “githeri”. It is the signature ingredient in the making of mukimo.
4. Boil the githeri till all the constituents are well cooked.
5. When the githeri is ready, drain the remaining water and place the mixture into a separate bowl.
6. Boil the potatoes, adding some salt to ensure that the potatoes are tasty. When they are well cooked, soft when stuck with a fork, drain the remaining water and place the potatoes in a separate bowl.
7. Chop the greens you’ve chosen into thick slices on a chopping board. Boil them until they are soft, only for a few minutes (depends on the type of green used). This ensures that the greens soften and makes it possible to produce the green color easily.
8. Lightly blend the boiled leaves to ensure that they will be easily distributed when it is time to use them in the preparation.
9. Mash the boiled potatoes until every bit of the potatoes is well mashed.
10. Add the githeri to the already mashed potatoes, and ensure they are well mixed to create a uniformly formed solid mass. Add salt to taste.
11. Place the blended leaves into the bowl containing the mixture, and mix them gently and uniformly to give the dish its signature green color.
12. Add a teaspoon or so of cooking oil to a heated skillet. On medium-low heat, sauté the onions until they are translucent.
13. Stir the mukimo into the sautéed onions and oil until they are fully incorporated. Your mukimo is now ready to serve!

Dishes to serve with mukimo:

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

Vegan Curry Chicken

Vegan Gumbo

Conclusion on mukimo:

Mukimo is a delicacy everyone should try because of how delicious it is, plus its health benefits. The article has highlighted the main steps in preparation for this simple meal. To increase how tasty this food is, serve it with one of the linked dishes from above or below.

If you enjoyed this recipe for Mukimo and would love to see more, join me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!

Get discounted copies of my cookbook here.

Fortunately, because of the Ads on our website, readers and subscribers of Healthier Steps are sponsoring many underprivileged families.