Githeri is a Kenyan delicacy that basically is a mixture of maize (green or dry) and any type of beans cooked together. This simple githeri curry requires just a few ingredients to prepare. Can be enjoyed with any veggies of your choice or a salad or guacamole. Some people even have it with rice!
It is considered a complete meal since it has some carbs from the maize, protein from the beans and a bit of veggies from the carrots. Serving it with more of veggies is always recommended so as to have enough per your daily serving of vegetables.
We mostly had it while in boarding school whether primary or secondary school. It is the most basic meal in Kenya besides ugali.
Any beans can be used depending on the availability and preference but we love yellow beans the most.
I have another githeri recipe made of sweet corn for those who would want to spruce things up. Check it out here: Simple Sweet Corn Githeri.
Preparation & cooking:
First pre boil your maize and beans either separately or together. I prefer doing so separately. Peel & dice yor onions & carrots, chop up your cilantro (dania) leaves & stems, puree or grate tour tomatoes and if using fresh ginger, garlic & turmeric, mince them up.
In a cooking pot/ sufuria, heat up some cooking oil and add the diced onions, carrots & (cilantro) dania stems. Keep stirring & let them cook on medium-high heat until soft for about 4-5 minutes.
Add in the spices (curry powder, garlic, ginger & turmeric) at this point and allow them to cook for a minute. Remember to keep stirring.
Next, add in the pureed tomatoes. Mix well, cover and allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Uncover and add in the pre boiled maize & beans mix them in. Then add the water and mix in. Turn down the heat and let this simmer for 10-15 minutes while covered.
Season with black pepper & sea salt then add in the chopped up fresh cilantro (dania) leaves. Mix them in.
Turn off the heat and serve it as is or with some sautéed cabbage or guacamole or avocado.
Simple Githeri Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 2 Onions, diced
- 1 cup Carrots, diced
- 1 bunch Cilantro (dania) stems & leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic or 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger powder or fresh minced ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric or fresh minced turmeric
- 2 tomatoes, grated or pureed
- 4 maize, pre boiled & husked
- 800 g yellow beans or kidney beans, pre boiled
- 4 cups water or vegetable stock
- Sea Salt & Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a cooking pot/ sufuria, heat up some cooking oil and add the diced onions, carrots & (cilantro) dania stems. Keep stirring & let them cook on medium-high heat until soft for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the spices (curry powder, garlic, ginger & turmeric) at this point and allow them to cook for a minute. Remember to keep stirring.
- Next, add in the pureed tomatoes. Mix well, cover and allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- Uncover and add in the pre boiled maize & beans mix them in. Then add the water and mix in. Turn down the heat and let this simmer for 10-15 minutes while covered.
- Season with black pepper & sea salt then add in the chopped up fresh cilantro (dania) leaves. Mix them in.
- Turn off the heat and serve it as is or with some sautéed cabbage or guacamole or avocado.
