As many of my friends know, I once lived in Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa. I have fondest memories of this country, the people, culture and the food. I have to be honest, the food was an acquired taste. It is in general milder tasting, often with texture completely foreign to the western palette, but once you get use to it, a plate of mashed plantains can be quite exquisite.
While my family got settled in to our new home on the equator, my mother hired a housekeeper/cook named Jerita. With her tiny, birdlike frame, huge, beautiful smile and calm, almost zen-like composure, it was hard to believe that she had four children of her own and a huge extended family to support. Jerita cultivated many skills than made her the central figure and matriarch of her family, but cooking was where she truly shined. From ugali, a maize-based, grit like side dish, to irio and githeri, she was an ambassador of traditional Kenyan fare to my family.
Since leaving Kenya and the incredible Jerita in my past, I have often craved the unique flavor of one of Kenya's siganture dishes, Sukuma Wiki. A simple vegetarian stew of kale, tomatoes and spices, the flavor and earthiness brings me right back to a specific moment - my mother's kitchen in Kenya where while a little ghost gecko peered at me from the corner of the room and a panting dog lounged in a patch of dappled sunlight in the open doorway to the garden, I watched my mother avoid stepping on the fallen fruit of our avocado tree in the backyard while she hung laundry on a line. Meanwhile, a huge pot of Sukuma Wiki simmered gently on the stove and Jerita hummed softly as she gently lifted the lid and stirred the fragrant, steaming goodness inside. As long as there is Sukuma Wiki, that memory will always be with me.
So here it is, my recipe for one of Kenya's culinary treasures, Sukuma Wiki:
6 cups of fresh, washed and roughly chopped kale
2 TBSP vegetable oil
6 fresh cloves of garlic, crushed slightly, but still whole
1 cup of diced, white onions
1 can of Rotel or spiced tomatoes and peppers
2 cups beef broth
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional:
a dash of cumin
a dash of curry powder
Note: With fresh, not-sold-in-a-bag kale, to ensure there is no grit in your dish, I recommend filling a large pot with water and submerging the kale in the pot, agitating slightly to release the grit. I usually repeat this about three times with fresh water, then I give the leaves a ten minute vinegar bath to sanitize the leaves a bit. Then I drain the water from the leaves on a clean hand towel before chopping.
1. In a large, thick-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium temperature.
2. Crush slightly the garlic cloves to open them up, but do not chop them up into small pieces. Also chop the onion into large pieces (about 1" cubed). Add garlic and onions to the pot and saute until the onions become limp an clear.
3. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno pepper along with the white ribs in the inside of the pepper. This will tone down some of the heat. If you prefer a lot of spicy heat, leave the ribs and if you are VERY adventurous the seeds as well. Dice into 1/4" pieces. Add to the pot and saute for another couple of minutes.
4. Add the can of Rotel or spicy peppers and tomatoes and the beef broth. Bring to a low boil.
5. Turn the heat down to medium low (about a three on your stove dial) and add the cleaned and chopped kale. Place a tight lid on top and let cook for five minutes. Stir the leaves and continue cooking for another ten or until the leaves are soft like cooked spinach.
6. This dish can be a bit soupy, so if you prefer less liquid, instead of pouring it out or draining it when serving, simple allow the kale to cook a little longer without the lid to reduce the liquid.
Enjoy while still warm on top of ugali, basmati rice, chapatis or with a side of dry-fried potatoes.
