How to make kamasikhisikhi, a Luhya traditional simsim butter that has many uses when cooking food the Luhya way.
Remember, poor quality ingredients results in an inferior outcome. This is to say making good Luhya food is all about the cook’s diligence. They have to maintain fidelity to process and purity in method when preparing the ingredients. From muduya to bubwoba, this remains true. It’s no different for kamasikhisikhi.
For simsim it is much better if you have planted the crop yourself. This way, you start the journey to perfect kamasikhisikhi right from harvesting. My grandmother Nakhatama swears by the traditional slow dry method when harvesting and drying simsim. According to her wisdom, this method simulates nature best.
Though kamasikhisikhi can be enjoyed on its own or as a spread like peanut butter, it shines best in how it makes other traditional Luhya delicacies sing when added to a recipe. Moreover simsim paste is a readily available food whose nutritional value makes it a good choice when you need to store food for long periods.
Priced
Over the years, simsim has become a priced commodity because of its known health and nutrition benefits. As a result of this new demand kamasikhihisikhi has slowly but gradually disappeared from mulembe tables. In most of modern Luhyaland simsim paste is a hard find, except among the Bukusu who still cultivate the plant in numbers during the second planting season beginning August.
It is from this mulembe house of Babukusu that we find the name for simsim butter that we use in this post – kamasikhisikhi. So the next time someone serves you a dish made with simsim butter, do consider yourself a special guest.
How to make kamasikhisikhi (simsim butter) in three easy steps
Equipment
- Traditional African grain mortar and pestle
Materials
- 1 kg Roasted simsim
Instructions
- The preparation. Take your roasted simsim and do a quick sort just to ensure there are no impurities like insects, rocks and soil. Any impurities will alter the taste and we don’t want that.
- Roast the simsim over low to medium heat. To make good quality kamasikhisikhi, you will need to know how to roast simsim to perfection. Read: blow by blow guide on the art of the perfect roasted simsim
- Pound the simsims in a mortar with a pestle gently to a point it becomes paste. Depending on your preference, you can make it crunchy or smooth. This is also an opportunity to season with salt if you feel you need to add some more. Also throw in a few roasted peanuts if you fancy. I have added a few black pepper peppercorns for a bit of that kick in my final dish.
- Storing kamasikhisikhi. Remove the pounded simsim and store in an airtight container ready for use.
How to use kamasikhisikhi
The simsim pounded to paste is what is referred to as kamasikhisikhi. Use a small portion heaped table spoon of kamasikhisikhi in your stews, as a spread; or alongside munyu mukhelekha when cooking traditional vegetables such as likhubi. It not only adds flavor, but serves as a source of oil in your dish.
I’ve learned alot,, atleast I’ve got a side hustle here,