Githeri, traditional Kenyan spiced bean and corn stew with mixed vegetables. Easy to make and delicious served with a side salad and chapatis.
Ingredients of note
Pigeon Peas are a popular ingredient in Githeri and are used extensively in African and Caribbean cuisine. Depending on where you are in the world they can sometimes be tricky to source. If they are not found in your local supermarkets you can usually find tinned or dried pigeon peas in African or Caribbean stores or online. However, Githeri is a versatile dish and can be made with any beans you wish to include.
Serving Githeri
Githeri can be eaten as a light lunch on its own or as a main meal with rice. We particularly like it served with fresh chapatis and a traditional Kenyan side salad. You can find the recipe for our Kachumbari here.
Githeri
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tin kidney beans
- 1 cup tinned or cooked pigeon peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat, once hot add the diced onion and carrots. Saute until the onion is translucent and the onion and carrot are starting to go golden, around 6 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes are falling apart and there is not much moisture left. Around 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium then add the spices. Curry powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, chilli flakes, cracked black pepper and salt. Cook the spices off for 1 minute.
- Add the diced bell pepper, kidney beans, cooked pigeon peas and the frozen corn with ½ cup of water. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, put the lid on the pan and continue to cook for 15 minutes stirring regularly.
- Remove the lid and continue to cook until most of the moisture has cooked off.
- Add the juice of one lemon, check for seasoning then transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped coriander.
- Githeri is great served with chapatis and a side of Kachumbari salad.
