Slow-Simmered Kenyan Nyama Choma with Spiced Ugali

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-08 · Updated 2026-06-08

A tender, slow-cooked Kenyan-style grilled beef dish served alongside traditional spiced cornmeal ugali that captures the essence of East African flavors. This African-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 150 minutes, pairs beef short ribs, vegetable oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef short ribs
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large, diced onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, grated ginger root
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 cups cornmeal (maize flour)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups water (for ugali)
• 1 tsp, toasted and ground cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp butter

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1 large diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger, cooking for another 2 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add 2 pounds beef short ribs to the pot, browning on all sides for 6-8 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, cooking for 2 more minutes until the paste darkens.
3. Step 3: Pour in 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours until the beef is tender and falling off the bone.
4. Step 4: While the beef simmers, prepare the spiced ugali: bring 2 cups water and 2 cups milk to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in 2 cups cornmeal and 1 tsp toasted ground cumin seeds, stirring constantly until thickened and pulling away from the pan sides, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Step 5: Remove ugali from heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter until melted and smooth. Shape into a mound and keep warm.
6. Step 6: Serve the slow-simmered beef ribs with the spiced ugali, spooning some of the rich cooking juices over the meat for extra flavor.