🇰🇪 Kenyan · Traditional Breakfasts
🌿 Kenyan Cassava Breakfast Porridge
Uji wa Muhogo
Kenyan Cassava Breakfast Porridge — fresh cassava boiled until tender and blended with coconut milk, ginger, and a touch of honey into a smooth, warming, naturally thick breakfast porridge. The coastal morning meal that transforms Kenya's most productive root crop into something deeply satisfying.
Cassava breakfast porridge is particularly popular along the Kenyan coast and in Western Kenya where cassava grows in abundance. The cassava is boiled until completely soft, blended smooth with coconut milk and ginger, and served warm. The result is a thick, naturally starchy, mildly flavoured porridge that is uniquely satisfying and deeply Kenyan.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large saucepan, Blender
- 400g fresh cassava — peeled and cut (woody central fibre removed)
- 400ml coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger — grated
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Peel cassava and remove the woody central fibre. Cut into chunks.
- Boil in salted water for 20—25 minutes until completely tender.
- Drain and transfer to a blender.
- Add coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon, honey, and salt.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Return to the saucepan. Warm gently, stirring.
- Adjust consistency with water or coconut milk.
- Serve warm.
Chef Tips
- Remove the woody central fibre of the cassava completely — it will not blend smooth.
- The coconut milk makes this porridge considerably richer than water-based versions.
- Fresh ginger gives a warmer, more complex flavour than ground ginger here.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not removing the central fibre — stringy porridge.
- Under-cooking cassava — will not blend smooth.
- Using too little liquid — overly thick and difficult to blend.
The Science
Cassava starch has a distinctive gelatinisation behaviour — it produces a particularly thick, smooth gel when fully cooked and blended. The cassava's natural cyanogenic compounds are eliminated through the boiling and draining process, making properly cooked cassava completely safe to consume.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Cassava provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
- Coconut milk adds healthy MCTs.
- Naturally gluten-free.
- Easily digestible when properly prepared.
Cultural Note
Cassava breakfast porridge reflects the coastal kitchen's genius for elevating the simplest ingredients with coconut milk — transforming the humble root into a breakfast of genuine pleasure.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Thickens significantly when cold.
Reheating: Warm gently with coconut milk, stirring.
Serve with: Kenyan Masala Chai, Toasted Coconut, Fresh Fruit, Honey