Githeri
Local name : Gĩtheri
Maize kernels and kidney beans boiled together, then fried with onion, tomato and cumin. The Kikuyu everyday pot.
Photo : safaritravelplus · CC0
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Drain the maize and beans, then put them in a large pan with 1.5 litres of cold water.
- Bring to the boil, skim, then cook covered for 75 to 90 minutes. A maize kernel should crush between two fingers.
- Drain, keeping 200 ml of the cooking water.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown the onions for 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cumin, stir for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes. Let them break down for 8 minutes.
- Add the maize, beans, salt and reserved water. Simmer for 10 minutes, crushing a few beans against the side of the pan.
- Scatter coriander over and serve with fried greens or avocado.
The salt goes in after the pulses have cooked: added to the starting water it toughens the bean skins and stretches the cooking time. Kikuyu families cook githeri in quantity and reheat it across several days, each turn in the pan making it denser.
