Ugali

(African cornmeal mush)

Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS	PREP	AMOUNT
Water		4 cups
Salt		2 tsp
Cornmeal, white, finely ground		2 cups

Basic Steps: Boil → Stir → Form

Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in cornmeal slowly, letting it fall though the fingers of your hand.
Turn heat to medium-low, and continue stirring regularly and smashing any lumps until mush pulls away from the sides of the pot and becomes very thick, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool somewhat.
Place into a serving bowl. Wet your hands with water, form into a ball and serve.

White cornmeal is the most commonly used grain, but you can substitute sorghum, millet, or coarse cassava flour or hominy grits.
More or less water can be added to achieve the consistency you prefer.
Stir in a little butter if you like for a richer flavor.

Known as ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, this starchy side dish goes by different names in different parts of Africa. In Malawi and Zambia it is called nsima. The South African name for it is mealie-meal or mealie pap.
Ugali is usually served as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable stews, greens or soured milk. To eat ugali, pull off a small ball of mush with your fingers. Form an indentation with your thumb, and use it to scoop up accompanying stews and other dishes. Or you can form larger balls with your hands or an ice cream scoop, place them in individual serving bowls and spoon stew around them.
Cornmeal mush is also found in Caribbean creole cuisine and was certainly brought there by imported slaves. On the island of Curuçao it is known as funchi. In Antigua it is called fungi.