My first memory helping out in the kitchen was formed when I was about six. I had raised a storm insisting that I cook by myself a chicken, engoko, that my grandmother had ‘caught for me’. Whenever I ask, I’m reminded that the chicken was to be our Easter Monday supper. Ever since, I have cooked with and learned from mayi, khukhu, senje and many others. These are the 4 secrets of using munyu mukhelekha, the quintessential Luhya traditional salt, that I’ve picked over the years.
Secrets of using munyu mukhelekha when making stews
Munyu mukhelekha can be used earlier or later when making a meat, poultry or fish stew. This decision is guided by various factors, key among them is the strength of munyu itself. The type of munyu also matters – whether the ash is from groundnut kernels, simsim, maize crops (munyu gwa masogoro) or other dry plant matter.
For example, when cooking tough meat, one may want to use a little munyu during pre-boiling so as to tenderize it.
1. Try adding munyu first
But for flavor you want to add munyu much later. As the first thing after frying your meal with cooking oil, onions and and tomatoes. I repeat: the munyu first; before adding water if you still need more soup. Once you add your munyu to taste, the secret is to allow it to simmer and reduce.
2. Practice makes perfect
If one was to prepare murenda and miroo with munyu, you would know if you did a good job from the appearance of the finished product. Proper use of munyu will give you dark green leaves as the finished product. A shoddy job on the other hand is likely to yield vegetables that are military green to brownish in color.
For meats, poultry and fish stews a good indicator that you have mastered the secrets of using munyu musherekha is how savory your stew turns out. Even without tomatoes, onions or whichever other fancy ingredients, soup made with munyu is almost always full, of what the Maragoli call, mwayo.
3. Add cream/milk to your food to bring about the delicious taste of good munyu on your plate
Munyu is like cocoa. Cocoa by itself makes good a drink. Munyu by itself can make a meal good. But cocoa, didn’t know how good it can taste till it met milk and sugar; similarly, munyu didn’t know who it was until it met milk or cream.
One of the secrets of using munyu that’s out there for readers who regularly try out our Luhya food recipes: is to add cream or milk. And to add it after cooking in your munyu for at least 5 minutes. Then you should allow for the milk or cream to simmer and reduce. This often takes approximately 5-15 minutes depending on the amount of milk or cream added.
Be true to those three steps when cooking most Luhya traditional vegetables, and you are more than halfway there to Luhya sous chef status. Be it that you are using munyu kwa lukhaye or munyu musherekha in your cooking, always consider milk or cream as you go to additional ingredients to jazz up your food.
Take time to master this munyu and milk or cream combo. How much of each; how long for each to simmer; the science behind cooking with dairy, that kind of thing. Thereafter, be at liberty to use other ingredients and spices. I talk of the likes of black pepper, ginger, garlic etc. However, be aware that the taste profile when using these spices with munyu will not be what you are used to.
4. Allow adequate time to simmer after adding munyu
After adding munyu to your meals, allow a minimum of 20 minutes cooking on medium heat. Munyu just like any other ingredient needs to be properly cooked for one to realize its true flavor. This is important because meals that have been well cooked with munyu have the all important mwayo. Mwayo is the flavor of the spirit of mulembe that fills the heart as you sip a hot bowl of soup, lap over freshly prepared mrenda or wherever! Whenever; with whoever!