Kenyan Corn Curry – Makai Paka

Growing up in Kenya we would eat corn (or maize as it’s known there) in so many forms. Kenyan corn curry was one of them. It was one of my favorite ways of enjoying the corn. My mom would always make it for me and even now whenever I go back home to visit, she makes it a point to make it at least once during my visit, if not more often.

The Ingredients for Kenyan Corn Curry

Some fresh corn on the cob, some fresh herbs, and a few spices are all it takes to make this splendid Kenyan corn curry.

The Ingredients List for this Kenyan Recipe:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cloves
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 red onion
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 green, red, or yellow chili
• 1 inch ginger
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander 
• 10 whole raw cashew nuts
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 whole ears of corn
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• fresh coriander for topping

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The Blended Spices and Herbs for Makai Paka

To start off, we need to get the spices and herbs blended:

• Add the peeled garlic, ginger, chili, fresh coriander, and cashew nuts to a blender or food processor.
• Blend everything together so you have an almost smooth paste like mixture.
• You can always add a tablespoon or two of water if it’s too thick.
• Once blended, set it aside and work on the rest.

The Cooking Process for the Kenyan Corn Curry:

Let’s get cooking.

• Peel and finely chop the onion.
• In a large pot (I use a Dutch oven), add the oil. Once it’s reached a point of being really hot, throw in the cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin seeds. Allow them to pop for a few seconds and add the finely chopped onion.
• Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes or until it gets a little brown.

• Gently pour in the blended spices and cook them for about 4-5 minutes or until you see that most of the liquid from the pan has disappeared.
• Add water to the pan. I usually add water to the blender and pour that into the pan.
• Mix all the water into the spice mix and gently drop the corn on the cob into the pot.
• I like to chop mine into 2 inch pieces, but you can make them larger if you prefer.

The Cooked Kenyan Makai Paka

Let’s finish the cooking process:

• Once the corn is all mixed into the liquid, cover it and allow the corn to cook for about 6-7 minutes.
• Once the corn is cooked, we can add the coconut milk. This will make the whole house smell like delicious tropical flavours.
• Allow the corn curry to boil; once it boils, turn the heat off and serve immediately.
• I like to sprinkle some more finely chopped fresh coriander on top just before serving.

Serving Suggestions:

I like mine to be a little thick. However, you can always add more water when you cook the corn to make it a little more runny. Kenyan corn curry can be served with a variety of things:

• My favorite way to serve it is with Rice – basmati long grain rice – plain or cumin rice.
• Roti (Indian flat bread) – made with a blend of whole wheat and white flour.
• Naan – garlic or plain naan.
• Paratha – pan fried flatbread. Plain or stuffed.

Variations:

I like to vary things in my recipes and here are some of the suggestions I have:

• Don’t like or don’t have cashew nuts? Fret not, I sometimes replace them with almonds and they taste just as delicious. I use blanched almonds. If you don’t have that, it’s easy to do. Soak the almonds in hot water for about 5 mins – or while you are chopping your onions and corn. Drain the water and peel off the skin. It should peel off very easily.
• In my house, we are divided. Half of us like corn on the cob, yet the other half do not. So, on occasion, I make it with frozen corn. It’s easier to cook and enjoy.

Tried and Liked the Recipe?

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