Sukuma wiki and asida (Collard greens with tomato and maize)

Sukuma wiki ("stretch the week") is an East African dish Akec Chuot grew up eating with her mum Helena Yar in Kenya. Now, it's a popular dish eaten by the majority of Southern Sudanese communities and it can be eaten with rice, bread, injera or asida. In Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and other parts of East Africa, the original vegetable used in this dish, colewort (or collard greens) are more commonly known by their Swahili name, sukuma, but you can substitute with gai lan (Chinese broccoli).

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
• 2 white onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tsp garlic paste
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 300 g diced lean beef, cut into 2-3 cm chunks
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegeta stock powder
• 1 tbsp royco mchuzi mix (see Note)
• 50 ml water (optional)
• 2 bunches gai lan (Chinese broccoli), roughly chopped
• 1 red capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
• Asida (ugali) and lemon wedges, to serve (see below)

For asida

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white maize meal (or white corn meal)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir through the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
   
2. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes, or until the oil begins to separate from the tomatoes. Add the beef to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, or until the meat is browned on all sides.
   
3. Stir through the ground spices and seasonings with the water and cook until the beef is tender. Add the gai lan and capsicum to the pan and cook for a further 7-10 minutes, taking care not to overcook, but ensure there is no liquid remaining in the pan before you serve as sukuma wiki is a dry (not saucy) dish. Stir through the lemon juice.
   
4. Prepare the asida (ugali) just before serving your main meal. Heat the water in a large saucepan with a handle. When the water comes to the boil, sprinkle in 1 tbsp white maize meal, then while stirring continuously with a strong wooden spoon, stream in the remaining maize, while beginning to press the mixture against the side of the pan to break up any lumps. As the mixture thickens, it will become more difficult to mix, but continue mixing and breaking up any lumps, until the mixture begins to come away from the sides of the pan. Allow it to cook for a further 2-3 minutes. To serve the asida (ugali), transfer to a platter directly from the pan. Enjoy the hot ugali with your favourite stew or curry.
   
5. It is critical to continue mixing the ugali during the cooking process, as it’s important to serve a smooth textured (and lump free) ugali to your guests! If you would like a softer consistency, add ½-1 cup extra water.
   
   
6. Serve the sukuma wiki with the asida and lemon wedges on the side.

Note

• Royco mchuzi mix is a seasoning blend that can be purchased online from specialty shops.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Winter Warmers

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G