HOW TO PREPARE MRENDA

I'm so into schooling you guys on some of our Traditional Kenyan Foods that are a constant feature on our dinner tables. Indigenous Leafy Vegetables are one such traditional meals that have been consumed over the centuries in Kenyan Homes. I have always known these vegetables by their Traditional names but today I had to do some research to find out their Botanical or English names if you will. Before we begin on today's recipe here are names of other indigenous Vegetables that we normally consume. Mitto (crotalaria), Saget/saga (spider plant), Seveve/Malenge (pumpkin leaves), Terere (amaranthus), Nderema (bacella alba), Managu/Osuga (black night shade), and today's recipe which includes Kunde (cow pea leaves) and Mrenda (jute).These are some of the indigenous leafy vegetables available in Nairobi. We normally add Sodium Bicarbonate (we call it magadi) during boiling to tenderise the vegetables and retain their bright green color. I used a natural tenderizer (msherekha-local luhya name) that I will later on show you how it is obtained. Each tribe has the name they use to call the Magadi (sodium bicarbonate)Today's recipe is Mrenda (jute), but I will try to make all the above traditional indigenous leafy vegetables as time goes by. Any of the indigenous Leafy Vegetables can be mixed with each other or you can cook each on its own This Mrenda (jute) goes really great with Ugali. So lets begin. Follow me on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest

Ingredients

-4 Bunches Mrenda (jute)
-8 Bunches Kunde (cow pea leaves)
-1 Cup Onions
-1 Cup Tomatoes
-3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
-Pinch Salt
-2 Tablespoons Msherekha (traditional sodium bicarbonate)

METHOD

Wash the vegetables

-The Bunch Kunde leaves (cow pea leaves) removed from their stalks and Bunch Mrenda (jute)

-This is how the Kunde (cow pea leaves) look like. They are usually rough and a bit tough

-This is how the Mrenda leaves (jute) looks like. They are usually soft and slippery, they give the vegetable mixture that soft runny feel after they are cooked
-Pour water in a large pan. Add the two Tablespoons of Msherekha/munyu (traditional sodium bicarbonate) or you can use Magadi. Let the water boil until it forms bubbles like the ones below

-Add the chopped up Kunde (cow peas) and Mrenda (jute). It will start bubbling on the sides

-As it cooks, the bubbles will start to swell and go up the pan, make sure you are stirring every few minutes

-The bubbles will spread around the cooking pot, you need to sit/stand near the cooking vegetables as they rise or you will have green water to clean up from the floor

-This is how bad it gets! Lol!
-The Msherekha/munyu (Magadi) (sodium bicarbobate) is the one causing the volcanic eruptions!
-As soon as the vegetable has turnes from light green to dark green, remove from the heat and drain all the water

-Use the same cooking pan/pot that you used to boil the leafy vegetables. Add onions and sautee until they start browning

-Add tomatoes, salt and cook until tomatoes start to become paste like

-Add the now softened leafy vegetables and stir until they are incorporated into each other. Taste to see if salt is enough and add more if need be. Let it cook for a few more minutes and remove from the heat

-Serve the Mrenda (jute) with just Ugali. Or you can serve the Ugali and Mrenda with Meats, Chicken, Fish or even Eggs

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MRENDA - TRADITIONAL KENYAN VEGETABLE RECIPE

by Mulunga Alukwe July-21-2017

Ingredients

• 4 Bunches Mrenda (jute)
• 2 Bunches Kunde (cow pea leaves)
• 1 Cup Onion
• 1 Cup Tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• Pinch Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Msherekha (sodium bicarbonate)

Instructions

-Pour water in a large pan. Add the two Tablespoons of Msherekha/munyu (traditional sodium bicarbonate) or you can use Magadi. Let the water boil until it forms bubbles-Add the chopped up Kunde (cow peas) and Mrenda (jute). It will start bubbling on the sides-As it cooks, the bubbles will start to swell and go up the pan, make sure you are stirring every few minutes-As soon as the vegetable has turned from light green to dark green, remove from the heat and drain all the water-Use the same cooking pan/pot that you used to boil the leafy vegetables. Add onions and sautee until they start browning-Add tomatoes, salt and cook until tomatoes start to become paste like-Add the now softened leafy vegetables and stir until they are incorporated into each other. Taste to see if salt is enough and add more if need be. Let it cook for a few more minutes and remove from the heat-Serve the Mrenda (jute) with just Ugali. Or you can serve the Ugali and Mrenda with Meats, Chicken, Fish or even Eggs

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4 Servings