In brief
- Sukuma wiki is a sautéed green cabbage dish with tomato and onion, an everyday dish in East Africa
- Origin: Kenya and Tanzania, East Africa
- Essential ingredients: green cabbage (sukuma), tomato, onion, garlic, oil
- Traditionally served with ugali, a maize flour dough
Origins and cultural history of sukuma wiki
The name sukuma wiki comes from Swahili: sukuma means “to push” and wiki, borrowed from the English word week, means the week. Literally, “push the week”: an economical dish that helps a family’s food budget last until the end of the week. The dish comes from East Africa, first of all Kenya and Tanzania, where green cabbage is an abundant, inexpensive crop all year round; it is also found in Uganda.
The word sukuma also refers to the leaf itself: in East African kitchens, it traditionally refers to collard greens, a green cabbage with large, flat, non-headed leaves, close to kale, which sometimes replaces it outside the continent.
What are the essential ingredients of sukuma wiki
The sukuma wiki recipe relies on few ingredients, mostly fresh and easy to find at a local market.
- green cabbage (sukuma) or kale
- tomato
- onion
- garlic
- oil
What to know about sukuma wiki
Sukuma wiki is an everyday dish of East Africa, above all Kenya and Tanzania: green cabbage sautéed in oil with tomato, onion and garlic. Its name comes from Swahili: sukuma means “to push” and wiki, borrowed from the English “week”, means the week, hence “push the week”, an economical dish that stretches a family's food budget to the end of the week. The word sukuma also names the leaf itself, traditionally collard greens, a green cabbage with broad, flat, non-heading leaves, close to kale, which sometimes replaces it outside the continent. It most often goes with ugali, a maize-flour paste, but also with rice or chapati depending on the region.
Frequently asked questions about sukuma wiki
Can green cabbage be replaced with another vegetable?
Yes: kale, mustard greens or spinach are common alternatives outside East Africa, with a slightly different taste.
What is sukuma wiki traditionally served with?
Sukuma wiki is most often served with ugali, a maize flour dough, but also with rice or chapati depending on the region of East Africa.
Where can I find the ingredients for sukuma wiki in France?
NKOSI offers a selection of East African spices and grocery products on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
