Leafy Green · Slippery Jute-Leaf Stew
Mrenda (Jute Mallow Stew)
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Luhya cooks add a pinch of alkaline ash or bicarbonate while boiling mrenda specifically to bring out its natural sliminess, which locals prize for making it easy to eat with ugali.
Jute mallow leaves are boiled down with a pinch of alkaline ash or bicarbonate, softening into a dark green, slightly slippery stew, sometimes mixed with other local greens or a little milk. It's an everyday side dish sold at Kakamega market food stalls alongside ugali.
Why it's made this way: Traditional leafy greens like mrenda remain central to Luhya home cooking and local markets, valued for their nutrition and their deep roots in Western Kenya's small-farm food culture.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3248 dishes from 118 countries.
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