Kuku

This delicious dish from Kenya may have a funny name, but it is a seriously scrumptious meal. It originally called for chicken, but I have vegetarianized it with those Smart Chicken strips you buy at the store. You can get away with using just one package, but I find that my family picks out all the strips to nibble on, leaving little left for the actual dish, so adding 2 packages may work better.

Kuku

Ingredients

½ c dried mung beans

1 (or 2) pkgs Smart Chicken Strips

½ t ground ginger

salt and pepper

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 medium tomatoes, or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1 t lemon juice

1 c coconut milk

Steps

1. Either boil the mung bean for 35 minutes, or pressure cook. Drain.

2. While the mung beans are cooking, season the "chicken" strips with the ground ginger and a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and brown the chicken strips. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. In the same pan, fry the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and chili and cook another 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the mung beans and lemon juice.

4. Pour the coconut milk into the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken strips. Simmer for 10 minutes.