The Lili Makkai no Chevdo is the ultimate yellow colored joy in a bowl. This was a staple Friday game and drinks night accompaniment for my Dad. Always accompanied by boiled or fried peanuts ~ magfuri, njugu, karanga.

My mum used to shuck the corn and then separate the milky ivory colored kernels, with a sharp knife- collecting a bowl of “doodhiya makai na dana”~ milky corn kernels. White corn is the main staple grain grown in Tanzania and that is the corn my Mum used for this chevdo. 

The US produces mostly yellow corn, whilst almost 90 percent of Mexico’s corn is white.   Until I can get my hand on the white corn from Mexico during the summer months, I turn to my trusted Trader Joes for the frozen White corn kernels, you can also use the yellow canned corn kernels- no judgement here!

#FACT- There is no evidence of maize cultivation in Africa until the 16th century. Maize, which was domesticated in central Mexico around 1500 BC, was brought to Africa around AD1500 when it was introduced from the Americas to Africa along the western and eastern coasts, gradually moving inward as a ration with the slave trade, and arrived in Tanzania by 1668 quite possibly by Christopher Columbus’s voyage of 1492 which sparked an unprecedented exchange between the Old and New Worlds. This so-called “Columbian Exchange” led to the movement of both people and crops across the Atlantic Ocean. 

Mahindi in Swahili is the most common cereal in Tanzania, and almost every local house grows their corn on patches of land that are less than two acres at the most, which is then harvested manually.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Frozen White Corn /or 1 Packet of Trader Joe’s frozen corn kernels or 1 tin canned corn
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida/ hing (optional or use the Gluten free option )
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 2 green chilies or 1 green 1 red sliced diagonally 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional only if your corn is not sweet)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Sea salt to taste
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 3-4  tablespoon milk (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Add the oil, and once it is heated add cumin seeds (and hing if using) and after they splutter add corn, sliced chilies turmeric and salt
  
• Sauté the corn in the oil for 3-4 minutes and add milk.
  
• Cook the corn + milk mixture on a very low flame, stirring almost continuously until the corn has cooked. If you are using canned corn you might not need to cook as much.
  
• Once all the milk is soaked up the makai no chevdo is cooked.
  
• Add the lemon juice and sugar (again optional,  and less if you are using canned sweet corn).
  
• Serve the Lili Makai no Chevdo warm garnished with cilantro