Sukuma Wiki

Greens Cooked In Tomatoes

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'Sukuma wiki' is a kale type of green that is simmered in tomatoes and onions and flavored with spices. If things are prosperous, beef is a welcomed additional.

Swahili for 'push the week', this dish is a main food of East Africans because it is inexpensive and easy to grow. Costing very little to make, the locals can eat this many days in a row and it gets them through the week.

During our stay in Garissa, Kenya, we were served this very traditional dish with Ugali at least once a week. The local village girl who cooked at the house we were hosted at had a knack for making it very well. We did have it at other places in Kenya and I personally found it to be somewhat bitter and uninviting.

Sukuma Wiki Recipe

• about 4 tablespoons of oil
• one good sized onion, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped tomatoes
• about 2 pounds finely chopped kale - without the stems
• 1 cup of water
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil over medium high in a large, heavy pan. Add the onion and fry gently until transparent. Add the greens - in batches - and saute until they are reduced and wilted.

Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, and the salt and pepper.

Bring it all to a boil, then reduce to a low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Optional Variations

• Add more flavour with a bit of chopped dried chili pepper.
• Add leftover meat for a heartier dish, typically using up beef or goat already in the Kenyan kitchen.

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