Ugali (Corn Fufu)
Ugali (Corn Fufu) – Experience African comfort food at home with this nutrient-packed cornmeal porridge. Enjoy an easy, soft, delightful, filling side dish with only three ingredients! This ugali recipe is the perfect cornmeal side dish for greens, stews, and proteins.
Delicious, filling corn meal side dishes are a staple food in restaurants and homes around the continent. All come under different aliases. Most notable are fufu corn (West Africa), couscous de maize (in French-speaking African countries), ugali (Kenya), nshima (Zambia), nsima (Malawi), and mielie pap in South Africa.
What Is Ugali?
Ugali is a thick porridge made from white maize meal cooked in water or milk until it becomes a thick dough. A piece of ugali serves as a spoon. Make a dent in the middle (swallow), and spoon a bite of draw soup (ogbono and okra soup are two examples).
This bland side dish is delightful with greens, stews, or protein. And it doesn’t overpower your delicious stew.
Recipe Ingredients
I’ve even eaten corn fufu at a friend’s place made with Jiffy cornbread mix, which I enjoyed. I’m not going to lie; sometimes, I use the Jiffy mix when cooking for one. I can just hear fufu purists shouting out HERESY! But, hey, use what you have available.
- Water: I don’t usually list water as an ingredient, but it’s essential for cooking the cornmeal. And you’ll need a pinch of salt.
- Cornmeal: Perfectly ground maize corn is readily available in Africa, but it’s another ball game abroad. Look for finely ground white cornmeal or yellow cornmeal. Corn flour or maize flour should also be available at ethnic grocery stores.
How to Make Ugali (Corn Fufu)
- Boil – Add about 4 cups of water to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, remove a cup of water, and set aside. (Photo 1)
- Add Cornmeal – Stir in the cornmeal a little at a time with a wooden spoon until it’s all in the pot. Keep stirring to prevent lumps. To avoid burning, you may have to take the saucepan off the heat while removing lumps. (Photos 2-3)
- Reduce heat and cook on low until the mixture thickens. (Photo 4)
- Final Stretch – Add the remaining boiled water, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add some more water if it looks like it needs it. Turn off the heat.
- Serve – Scoop out balls of the ugali mixture with a small bowl. Roll it into a ball by rolling it around the bowl. Or shape it by wrapping it in a plastic wrap. (Photos 5-8)
Note: Several have told me that wrapping it in plastic isn’t healthy. It’s up to you.
Recipe Variations
- Cornmeal swap. Millet, sorghum, cassava, and green plantains all make great fufu.
- Butter. Add a tablespoon of butter to your fufu corn to make it rich and creamy. Yum!
- Milk. Substitute the water with milk for a softer ugali. Children and older people enjoy this version because it’s easier to swallow.
Tips and Tricks
- Stir constantly to get a smooth paste.
- The cornmeal should cook for about 15 minutes to remove the raw taste.
- Cornmeal thickens as it cools. So add more water for a softer ugali.
- Don’t stop stirring for lump-free ugali.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make ugali ahead, though I prefer it fresh. But sometimes we need to save time for later. If I make it for later, I make smaller servings. You can keep them in the fridge for a day or two or the freezer for a few months.
Heat the largest skillet or pan you have over low heat. Add the ugali in a single layer and add enough water to steam it for 15 minutes without burning. I also like to add a little oil to slightly toast the ugali.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Keep leftover ugali well-wrapped so they don’t dry out. It should last up to a week, the same as cornmeal porridge. Or freeze it for a couple of months. Reheat covered in a skillet on low with a little water for about 15 minutes to heat through.
What to Serve With Ugali?
Enjoy eating ugali, also called a swallow, with a soup called a draw. Pair it with African collard greens (sukuma wiki) or Okro Soup. Njama Njama and Ogbono Soup are also delicious.
More Tasty African Recipes to Try
- Peri-Peri Chicken
- Bobotie
- Plantain Fritters
- Irio (Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe with Peas and Corn)
- African American Cornbread Dressing
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Ugali (Corn Fufu)
Ingredients
- 4 cups (945ml) water or more
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (300g) fine cornmeal
Instructions
- Add about 4 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove about a cup of water and set aside.
- Gradually whisk in the cornmeal until you have added all of it to the pot, 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 10 minutes or more. You might need to add some more water for the desired consistency. 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've been told several times that using plastic wrap isn't healthy, 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 a softer ugali, add more water.
- Unlike other fufu, cornmeal must be cooked for about 15 minutes to eliminate 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.
I made this alongside Sukuma, it was fantastic.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback, Mike!
Do you use white or yellow cornmeal
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.
Luv this recipe
You are so sweet, thank you!
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
Thank you for trying this, sure it will turn out well. Share with me about your experience:)
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.
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Mario! Now don’t forget to make some Decadent Coffee and Desserts To Make Your Day 😉
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
Thank you for dropping by, Malefu!
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Aww. Thanks Peter.