MAYAMANGA/MATOBOSHA YA WIMBI/VIPOPOO VYA UNGA WA WIMBI
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MAYAMANGA
Mayamanga is a Bajuni (Wathikuu) indigenous and ethnic local delicacy. The Bajuni people live along Kenyan coast from Lamu towards south Somalia. The mayamanga is similar to Matobosha(Mombasa, Kenya) and Vipopoo (Tanzania), the only difference being the type of flour being used. This is a kind of delicacy which is basically a cooked (flour) dough in a creamy coconut sauce. You can serve this traditional delicacy as a dessert.

​INGREDIENTS: 
FOR THE DOUGH
  • 3 cups Millet Flour 
  • 2 cups Water

OPTIONALS THAT YOU CAN ADD TO THE FLOUR DOUGH
  • pinch grated nutmeg
  • pinch ground cardamon
  • ¼ tsp sugar
  • pinch salt.

FOR THE SAUCE;
  • 4 cups coconut milk
  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • ½ - 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom

OPTIONAL/ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS IN THE SAUCE;
  • ​Flour for dusting​

METHOD

MAKING THE DOUGH:
Traditionally the dough is made with just 2 ingredients, flour and water. I like the addition of nutmeg, cardamom, sugar and salt to the flour so as give the cooked dough a fragrant bite when eaten. This is my personal opinion, its optional. Omit if you want to make it the traditional way.
  • Boil the water in a pan.
  • If using the nutmeg/cardamon.salt and sugar, mix them together with the flour before adding to the hot water.
  • Add all the flour at once to the hot water and mix thoroughly (like cooking fufu/ugali/corn dough). Some muscle power is required here as the dough gets very elastic and sticky. Make sure you mix thoroughly breaking up any flour lumps formed. The dough should be hard (otherwise it will get mushy when added to the coconut sauce).
  • Remove the dough from the heat and put it on a floured surface.
  • Sprinkle with plenty of flour. No need to knead the dough. Just make sure you break/remove any raw lumps of flour within the dough when rolling into ropes.
  • Divide the dough into 2 smaller balls (optional). Cover the balls and keep aside.
  • Take one ball at a time and start rolling into a rope about 1 cm thick (similar to a pencil).
  • The rope will not be very long as the dough is soft and keeps breaking. Put the rolled ropes in the bowl, sprinkle with some flour (so they do not stick together when cooling down).
  • Do the same for all the other ball until all are turned into thin strips of ropes.
  • Now take each strip of dough rope and using a sharp knife, cut the dough into smaller pieces/slices about 1 cm thick. Do the same for all the pieces.
  • Now take each small piece and pinch between your thumb and index finger, creating a dip/ladle in the middle on both sides of the piece(the shape resembles a red blood cell).
  • Once all the pieces are done, keep aside while you make the sauce.

COOKING THE COCONUT SAUCE.
  • In another pot, add the coconut milk, sugar and the ground cardamon.
  • Cook under low heat. Let the coconut milk simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the coconut cream and continue stirring for another 3-5 minutes until the sauce is fully cooked and of thick consistency.
  • Add the dough pieces. GENTLY mix together with the sauce in the pot. Let it cook for about 3-5 minutes (keep stirring GENTLY otherwise they will stick to the bottom of the pan and burn!)
  • ​Remove from the heat and ladle up in serving bowls. Let it cool slightly. Ready to be served. Or refrigerate to chill.
  • Can be served warm or cold.


More information & tips
1)When assembling the dough with the sauce, remember the flour dough is already cooked, What you are doing is ensuring the sauce is cooked and the dough is mixed well with the sauce.

See also