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Mrenda
Mrenda: Luhya jute mallow cooked silky with a pinch of soda
Luhya grandmothers in Kakamega and Bungoma say mrenda slides the ugali down, and they mean it: jute mallow leaves, cooked with a little soda, turn deliberately slippery and silky, a texture Western Kenya loves. The flavour is mild and grassy, lifted here with onion and tomato, and the greens are often mixed with cowpea leaves or eaten beside fish. Fresh jute mallow can be hard to find, but frozen chopped leaves sold as molokhia in Middle Eastern and African shops work perfectly. The traditional alkali is a lye filtered from ash; bicarbonate of soda stands in, and heaping it in is the mistake that leaves a soapy taste, so keep to a pinch. Chef's tip: stir with a wooden whisk or a fork in one direction as it cooks; Luhya cooks beat it this way to make the sauce smooth.
- Total time
- 23 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz jute mallow (mrenda) leavesfresh, stripped and finely chopped, or frozen chopped molokhia, thawed
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tomatochopped
- ½ tsp salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 1 cup water to the boil in a pot over a medium-high heat and stir in ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda.
Step 2: Add 14 oz jute mallow (mrenda) leaves and cook uncovered, beating with a fork or wooden whisk now and then, until the leaves are soft and the liquid is glossy and slippery.
8 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until soft and golden.
5 minStep 4: Add 1 tomato to the onion and cook until it collapses.
3 minStep 5: Stir the onion mixture and ½ tsp salt into the greens and simmer gently for 2 minutes, beating, until evenly silky.
2 minStep 6: Serve at once with ugali, pinching up the greens with each mouthful.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mrenda take?
- About 23 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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