Kenyan Sukuma Wiki and Sweet Corn Ugali with Tomato Kachumbari

Start the kachumbari first so it has time to mingle: combine the finely diced firm tomatoes, the half red onion, the lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a handful of chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Set it aside at room temperature and stir it occasionally while you cook.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large bunches collard greens (about 1 1/2 lb), stems removed and shredded thin
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 cups white cornmeal (maize flour)
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 2 ears sweet corn, kernels cut off
• 2 firm tomatoes, finely diced, for the kachumbari
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced, for the kachumbari
• 1 lime, juiced
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Start the kachumbari first so it has time to mingle: combine the finely diced firm tomatoes, the half red onion, the lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a handful of chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Set it aside at room temperature and stir it occasionally while you cook.
2. Shred the collard greens as finely as you can — roll the leaves into tight cigars and slice across into thin ribbons. The fine cut is what gives sukuma wiki its characteristic silky texture rather than a mouthful of leathery leaf.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the diced red onion for 6 to 7 minutes until soft and just golden at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger, and ground coriander and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and a good pinch of salt, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, mashing them down with your spoon, until they collapse into a thick, jammy base with the oil separating at the edges.
5. Add the shredded greens in handfuls, stirring each batch until it wilts down enough to make room for the next. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the greens are completely tender. Stir in the sweet corn kernels in the last 3 minutes so they stay crisp and sweet.
6. Meanwhile, make the ugali: bring the 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a heavy pot with a teaspoon of salt. Pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream while whisking hard to prevent lumps.
7. Switch to a sturdy wooden spoon and stir continuously as the mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Press and fold it against the sides of the pot — real ugali is worked, not just stirred, until it pulls cleanly away from the pot in one smooth, firm mass.
8. Turn the ugali out onto a plate, shape it into a dome with a damp cloth, and let it set for 2 minutes. Serve wedges alongside the sukuma wiki with the bowl of kachumbari on the side.
9. The name sukuma wiki translates roughly as 'stretch the week,' and it tells you everything about the dish's role in Kenyan home cooking — inexpensive greens braised with tomato and onion, made to carry a family through to the next payday. What began as thrift has become one of East Africa's most beloved everyday plates. Eating it properly means using your right hand: pinch off a piece of ugali, press a dent into it with your thumb, and scoop up the greens. Late summer is the moment to make it, when collards are dense and sweet, tomatoes need no help at all, and fresh sweet corn adds a burst the traditional version never had.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 470 kcal
• Protein: 13g
• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 80g
• Fiber: 11g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 620mg