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The Best Githeri Recipe
5 from 27 votes

The Best Githeri Recipe

The Best Githeri Recipe is a hearty Kenyan one-pot dish featuring boiled maize kernels and beans cooked together with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and a blend of spices including curry, garam masala, and optional cumin and turmeric. Aromatics like garlic, ginger, and onion build flavor, while tomatoes and tomato paste add body and acidity.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 5
Calories: 439 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: African

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon neutral cooking oil use your favorite cooking oil, generic cooking oil
  • 2 cups corn kernels boiled maize
  • 4 cups bean see the recipe notes below, boiled
  • 5 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ginger crushed
  • 1 onion use yellow or red onion, large, chopped
  • 3 tomato diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder (use more, or less, to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder (optional)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
  • 5 potato cubed, large
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 2 bell pepper also known as pili pili hoho, in Swahili, paprika, chopped
  • 1 stock cube (such as Maggi or Knorr)
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 Coriander to garnish, aka cilantro, chopped small bunch

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat cooking oil in a medium-sized pot or pan. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant. Fry for about one minute, taking care not to burn then stir in the ginger.
  2. Add the chopped onion and cook until it is slightly browned and fragrant then add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, curry powder, cumin powder, salt, and turmeric. Stir to combine.
  3. Next, add the potatoes, paprika (bell pepper), stock cube, and water, then stir. Cover and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are slightly tender, but not entirely cooked through. Make sure to stir from time to time.
  4. Finally, add the boiled corn kernels (or maize), boiled beans, and garam masala. Garnish with some chopped coriander (cilantro), serve and enjoy while still hot!

Notes

  • Use small to medium dark-boiling beans such as red kidney beans for best texture.
  • Opt for ripe, fleshy tomatoes for quicker cooking and better flavor.
  • Substitute or add vegetables like cabbage, sukuma wiki, boiled peanuts, or green peas according to preference.
  • Cooked Githeri stores up to 5 days refrigerated and freezes well for up to 12 months.
  • Adjust spices to taste for desired heat and flavor balance.

Nutrition Information

Calories 439kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 76g (25%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 0g (0%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 720mg (30%) Potassium 1670mg (36%) Fiber 12g (48%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 700IU (14%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 27mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 439

% Daily Value*

Calories 439kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 76g 25%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 720mg 30%
Potassium 1670mg 36%
Fiber 12g 48%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 700IU 14%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 27mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.