Ugali (Corn Fufu) — Easy to prep, soft, very delightful and filling side dish. A perfect cornmeal side dish for greens, stews, and proteins.
Step-by-step instructions on how to make Ugali or Corn fufu paired with Sukuma Wiki.
In most parts of Africa, cornmeal, is a side dish you would find in restaurant menus and in home kitchens around the continent – under different aliases. The most notable are fufu corn (West Africa) couscous de maize (French-speaking African Countries) Ugali (Kenya) Nshima – Zambia, Nsima – Malawi, and South Africa – Meilie pap.
It is very bland and to put it lightly boring side dish BUT when paired with greens, stews and/or protein – it sure is delightful and quite filling.
Perfectly ground cornmeal is readily available in these most African Countries but when you are abroad or in the Western World it is another ball game. Check your local supermarkets for cornmeal. I have tried different varieties and what works best or come close is fine ground cornmeal. However, don’t be shy trying out cornmeal that is not labeled “fine ” some of them work just fine.
Asides from the visual aspect, there is really no difference between white and yellow cornmeal. It all depends on what color of corn was used in the process.
On a rare occasion, I ate corn fufu at a friend’s place made with Jiffy cornbread. Yes, you heard right. Jiffy cornbread mix and I sort of enjoyed it -am not going to lie. I sometimes use jiffy mix , when am cooking for one. Do not want to offend anyone. I can just see FuFu purist shouting out HERESY! But who cares? Whatever rocks your boat?
Unlike other fufu ,corn meal needs to be cooked for about 15 minutes or more to get rid of the raw taste. Be prepared to do some stirring to get a smooth paste. Be mindful that cornmeal hardens as it cools down, so if you want like really soft ugali add more water.
Pair it with this African collard greens aka sukuma wiki. or this African Okro Soup
Watch How To Make It
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Ugali (Corn Fufu)
Ingredients
- 4 cup water, or more
- 2 cup fine corn meal
- ½ -1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add about 4 cups of water to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, remove about a cup of water and set aside.
- Gradually whisk in the cornmeal until you have added the whole thing to the pot, a little bit at a time, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps. You may have to take the saucepan off the heat while getting rid of lumps and preventing burns.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens.
- Then add the remaining boiled water, reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 10 or more. You may add some more water if desired. Turn off the heat.
- Scoop out balls with a small bowl – shake and form a ball by rolling around a bowl. Or place it on a saran wrap. Note: I have been told not to do this several times because of health reasons, so be mindful of it.
Tips & Notes:
- It requires some elbow grease and constant stirring to get a smooth paste.
- Be mindful that cornmeal hardens as it cools down. So, if you want like really soft Ugali, add more water.
- Unlike other fufu, cornmeal needs to be cooked for 15 minutes or more to get rid of the raw taste.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Rachel S-L says
Do you use white or yellow cornmeal
Imma says
I’m not picky. Whatever I have on hand. Yellow cornmeal has more flavor, but white cornmeal may look better. It depends on what you like best.
Edith says
Luv this recipe
Imma says
You are so sweet, thank you!
Sunshine Lin says
I followed the recipe and stiering in the cornmeal was challenging before it startes to pop…use my small canning pot probably needed a longer wooden spoon..lol. Didnt use saran but it didnt know how long to let it cool down before forming balls. Will get feedback from potluck…wish me luck
Imma says
Thank you for trying this, sure it will turn out well. Share with me about your experience:)
Mario says
This is soooooooo good!
I have made prawns in XO sauce and didn’t want it with noodle or rice, so I wanted the UGALI! Damn how good is that,combined with the juiciness of the sauce is just so good! Great recipe and super easy to make.
Immaculate Bites says
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Mario! Now don’t forget to make some Decadent Coffee and Desserts To Make Your Day 😉
Malefu Mumba says
Hi Imma Ugali Fufu in SA it is our daily meal we use white mealie meal or brown mealie meal , we even make soft porridge with both mealie meal. but it looks exactly the same and maybe the tastes are different .
Thanks so very much for the recipes my dear and keep sending Imma.
Best wishes and lots of Love
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you for dropping by, Malefu!
Peter says
Appreciating the persistence you put into your site and detailed
information you provide. It’s awesome to come across a
blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed material.
Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google
account.
ImmaculateBites says
Aww. Thanks Peter.
El says
Can I use corn flour to get similar? Or it has to be maize meal
ImmaculateBites says
Hi El! Corn flour will work just fine. Do let me know when you try it out.
Kike Enrique says
I tried a different recipe but same ingredients and it seemed to get gooey-like, as in not white, it sorta looked like snot. Was that due to too much water and not enough cornflour/ maize flour? And also I can’t seem to get rid of small flour balls which just don’t seem to break is there a way to pre-emptively inhibit these balls forming? Cheers
Kike Enrique says
What I do already like is that you have specific measurements to use which I can’t seem to find on any youtube videos. Usually they just say “use this much but if you need more add more” and me having no knowledge on this has no idea what to do thus leading to 2 failed attempts so far
ImmaculateBites says
I am so sorry you are having trouble with your Ugali. Just follow the recipe as is and you should be alright. Getting rid of the flour balls or lumps would require a bit of an arm workout, I am afraid. You may need to take it off the stove and give it a good stirring and smashing to get really nice smooth Ugali. Take note that the Ugali hardens as it cools down, so if you want really soft Ugali, you would have to add a little more water. Good luck on the next attempt and do let me know how it turns out!
Suzanne says
Don’t use corn flour, use corn MEAL.
Catherine says
Please get a you tube chanel and show people step by step. I tried it and it’s delicious
Imma says
I’m so glad you liked it:) I do have a YouTube channel with the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7pPfDSLbAw
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Libby K says
I’mma preemptively rate this 5 stars because it looks legit and I can’t wait to make it tomorrow! Question: How do you store this? Can it keep in the fridge without hardening? I don’t remember ever eating reheated ugali growing up, so I’m concerned it’s a one day only thing.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Libby, I usually store in the fridge and reheat the next day.Add about 1/3 cup more water while cooking since it hardens up the next day.
Hope this isn’t too late.
RWilson says
I just made simple okra. I took approximately 10 okra pods cut off the head and the tail put them in hot boiling water where I had already added some salt. I boiled it until the pods started to fall apart. Then I took them out of the water and added butter and a little vinegar. My friend told me that I could have added lemon or lime juice as well. I also added some hot sauce. The next time I will use probably some cayenne pepper. OMG! So delicious. Now I know when I make this Fufu and make this plain okra dish I will be in heaven.
Incidentally the land masses used to be connected and corn probably did come from the motherland. I thank you my friend Lucilda from Panama and her grandmother was from Barbados who used to make an okra and cornmeal dish.
imma africanbites says
Fufu and okra always pairs well. Might have to try your okra dish one of these days. Thank you for dropping by.
Leslie says
Is this dish served hot (assumed since greens would be hot)? And can you make it ahead of time?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Leslie. Ugali Fufu is best eaten warm. You do not want to burn your mouth with hot fufu :)! You can definitely make this ahead of time. Just heat it up when you are ready to serve or keep it warm in a food flask if you have one.
Linda says
In the southeast US this would be called grits or in Italy polenta. It is definitely yummy.
Kemsonj says
So on my first trip to Dar es Salaam I looked at ugali and thought, “meh, cassava fufu” Then I tasted it and shouted, “Grits! These are grits! We eat these in the South and initially, enslaved people ate them.” Imagine that?