Ugali (Kenyan Maize Meal Stiff Porridge)

Name: Ugali (Kenyan Maize Meal Stiff Porridge)
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 300g fine white maize meal, sometimes sold as ugali flour or maize flour; 800ml water; 0.5 tsp salt

The firm, smooth maize dough that East Africa eats with stews and greens, ready in 20 minutes.

Time20 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.30 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

4 servings

Ingredients

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300 gfine white maize mealsometimes sold as ugali flour or maize flour
800 mlwater
½ tspsalt

Method

1
Mix 100 g of the maize meal with 200 ml of the cold water in a bowl to a smooth paste with no lumps.
2
Bring the remaining 600 ml water and the salt to the boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the paste and cook for 3 minutes until it thickens into a thin porridge.
3 min
3
Turn the heat to low. Add the remaining maize meal a handful at a time, stirring firmly with a wooden spoon after each addition.
4
Keep stirring and pressing the mixture against the side of the pan for 5 to 7 minutes, until it forms a stiff dough that pulls away from the pan.
7 min
5
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 3 minutes. Press into a wet bowl, turn it out onto a plate and serve in slices or scoops with stews and greens.
3 min

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.