EA COCONUT MILK WITH WHOLE GRAINS PORRIDGE/UJI WA NGANO NZIMA

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BARLEY & COCONUT MILK PORRIDGE/UJI WA NGANO
SERVINGS: 5-6
Uji wa ngano nzima' simply means 'porridge containing whole wheat grains'. Uji ( Kenya) is basically flour (e.g rice, cassava, maize, millet,sorghum, flour or a mix of them) cooked with water to a thick paste consistency (forming the porridge). 'Uji wa ngano' starts out as a porridge where the base is made of (wheat) flour but with the addition of Coconut milk and whole grains (usually barley or wheat). The addition of coconut milk is distinctively a Swahili touch hence this Swahili delicacy was usually reserved for Ramadhan and special occasions. 

INGREDIENTS: 
  • 250g Whole grains:  pearl barley OR Cracked wheat
  • 1 packet coconut (makes 2-3 cups coconut milk) 
  • Water (for mixing and thinning the porridge)
  • 3-4 cups Milk (Optional- for thinning the porridge)
  • 1-2 vanilla pods (-Optional: for the authentic Comoros & Zanzibar flavour!)
  • ½ -1 cup sugar (more or less for taste - personal preference)
  • 2-3 tbs All purpose flour
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom (A little more if not using any vanilla pods)

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
  • Water or Milk (More might be needed to thin down the porridge as necessary)

METHOD

  • Cook the whole grains (barley/Wheat): (Soak the barley/wheat overnight- optional). Wash until the water runs clear.  Put in a pan and add enough water. Boil until fully cooked and dry.( If not dry, drain any excess water). Keep aside until ready to be used.
  • Making the flour paste: Add the flour and ground cardamom in a mixing bowl. Add water and whisk to make a smooth thin paste. Keep aside.
  • Make the coconut milk: Add 2-3 cups of WARM water in a blender jug. Get the coconut and divide into smaller pieces. Add in the jug and blend to a smooth consistency. Keep aside until needed.


COOKING THE PORRIDGE
  • Cook under medium heat and use a large/wide pan (use a stock pot if you have one).
  • Put about 5 cups  of water in a pan and warm it up (do not let it boil or the flour paste will go lumpy when added).
  • When the water has become hot (but not boiling), add the flour paste. Stir frequently to avoid formation of lumps. Cook for about 10 minutes until the porridge mixture is fully cooked (it will become thicker, elastic and show a slight change of colour).
  • Add the coconut milk and mix together. LOWER the heat and let it gently simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Then add the vanilla pods, sugar and the cooked barley/wheat. Mix together and keep stirring frequently so that the porridge does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn or overflow and spill over.
  • Let the porridge gently simmer for another 15-25 minutes so that the flavours develop & combine.
  • If the porridge becomes too thick, add extra water or milk to thin it down. Milk will increase the porridges' flavour as well as its nutritional value (although milk is optional).
  • Check the sugar/sweetness and adjust.
  • Check the consistency of the porridge- you can thin it down by addition of more water or milk. If too thin, let it boil some more.
  • When the sweetness and consistency is to your personal preference, remove from the heat. The porridge is ready to be served.
  • Remember to stir the porridge before serving to suspend the barley or wheat in the porridge as it has a tendency to settle down (especially if the porridge is very thin).​

More information & tips

1) ​Be very careful when handling porridge, it burns like molten lava!
2) The amount of water or milk used in this recipe is not definite. You might need more or less depending on the amount of flour to start with, the amount of heat used, cooking times as well as personal preference on the consistency of the porridge.
3) Do not be tempted to add a lot of flour! Or you will need buckets of water or milk to thin the porridge down. Remember a little goes a long way!
4)Addition of vanilla pods are optional but it is worth the cost. Break the pod and scoop up its contents but add all of it (the skin and contents) in the porridge. Remove before serving. I usually get Vanilla pods gifts from Comoro (these are considered great gifts due to their rareness (zawadi za tunu).
5) You can substitute coconut milk with milk but the taste will not be the same!
6) Do not store the HOT porridge in a thermos (or any heat preserving container) for more than a day. The porridge will cuddle up (kuchachuka) due to the coconut milk present. If you have to store it to the next day, let it completely cool down before storage.
7) In East Africa, the porridge can be served plain or with some vishete, mandazi, or served as a dessert (usually after dinner).
8) I associate this porridge with special events like when  we got some special guests (wageni mashukhuri!!!) or special Islamic celebrations e.g Ramadhan or Eid as when I was young. It was not cooked frequently. I only ever saw it appear on the menu during those occasions. I do not know the reasons why...maybe because my elders considered it time consuming as you had to tend to a large pot for a long time...or maybe it was budget issues (as they would drench it with so much coconut milk, or maybe just to create that awesome and mystic feeling about the porridge....Or maybe I will never know. Needless to say I cook it all the time in my household as it makes me feel nostalgic.

Also see
CATEGORIES
DRINKS, JUICE & SHAKES
EAST AFRICA CUISINE