Ingredients
Flour
- 250 gmillet flour, or sorghum flour, or a mix
- or wimbi, finger millet flour
Water
- 1.5litres, plus 500 ml for the slurry
To serve
- sugar, honey or jaggery, to taste
- milk, evaporated milk or coconut milk, optional
- a squeeze of lemon, optional
Equipment
- a jar or bowl for souring
- a whisk
- a heavy pot
To serve
- hot, in mugs or bowls, at breakfast
Directions
- Mix the flour with cold water into a smooth slurry and leave it, covered with a cloth, at room temperature. Cover it with cloth rather than a lid, so gas escapes while insects stay out.
- Leave it one to three days, stirring once a day. It is ready when it smells pleasantly sour, like yoghurt or sourdough, and tastes distinctly tangy. Discard it if it smells rotten or grows coloured mould, neither of which is normal. Refrigerate it once it is sour enough, which slows the fermentation.
- Bring the remaining water to a rolling boil in a heavy pot. Now pour the soured slurry into the boiling water in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
- Flour added to hot water dry, or hot water poured onto slurry, gives lumps that never disperse. Keep whisking as it comes back to the boil and thickens. Now cook it for a full 15 to 20 minutes over a low heat, stirring often.
- Cook it properly. Undercooked millet or sorghum flour tastes raw and chalky, which is the commonest fault, and it needs far longer than it looks. Stir it regularly and scrape the base, since it catches easily.
- Add more hot water if it becomes too thick. For drinking from a mug, keep it thin, about the consistency of single cream. Add sugar, honey or jaggery to taste, off the heat.
- Serve it hot, in mugs or bowls. It keeps two days refrigerated and thickens further, so loosen it with hot water when reheating.
Technique
- The fermentation improves mineral availability as well as flavour.
- Finger millet, wimbi, is the most highly regarded grain for it.
- Uji power blends are widely sold and popular.
Substitutions
- Maize meal, which is what much modern uji uses.
- A ready-made uji flour blend.
Variations
- Made without souring, as plain porridge.
- With milk or coconut milk.
- Made with a blend of millet, sorghum and maize.
History
Millet or sorghum porridge, often soured overnight by fermentation, the traditional breakfast before maize dominated.
Frequently asked questions
What is Uji?
Uji is a breakfast from Kenya: tangy fermented millet and sorghum porridge, morning staple. Millet or sorghum porridge, often soured overnight by fermentation, the traditional breakfast before maize dominated.
How long does Uji take to make?
Uji takes 10 min plus 1 to 3 days souring of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Uji?
Yes, within limits. Maize meal, which is what much modern uji uses. A ready-made uji flour blend.
What is the most important thing to get right in Uji?
Mix the flour with cold water into a smooth slurry and leave it, covered with a cloth, at room temperature. Cover it with cloth rather than a lid, so gas escapes while insects stay out.
