The importance of the first meal of the day cannot be understated. Breakfast replenishes the body and supplies vital nutrients that set us up for the day ahead. Although these days we typically buy our breakfast foods from the store, the Luhya community has a traditional cereal called makhalange that is essential for morning meals.
Makhalange is also known as Tsimbale and Kamalua in other dialects of the Luhya language. The cereal is renowned for its benefits for gut health and the ability to keep one’s engine running once eaten during morning hours. Growing adolescents and weaning children all consume this convenient snack.
An Elaborate Process
Making makhalange is a process that could take days due to the fermentation aspect. With maize flour, millet, and sorghum being staples of this community in Western Kenya, they can all be used as the basis for this treat.
The first step is to make sifu. This is a paste made when maize, millet, or sorghum flour is mixed with warm or cold water. Sifu should have the creamy thickness of porridge.
After the paste is made, the bulk of the process can start – beginning with the all-important fermentation. In the Luhya language, this part of the process is called khupaka sifu. The sifu paste is left out for three to four days. Traditionally, the mixture would be placed in a container near a customary three-stoned hearth. The aim is to make sure that the container is exposed to heat that catalyses the fermentation process.
These days added yeast is a key part of any fermentation process but traditionally, the existing yeast and sugars in the maize flour are relied upon to create the cereal’s distinct fermented taste.
To achieve a golden-brown colour and crunchy texture, the mixture is poured into a large frying pan and teased until it separates into bits called chimuma. The makhalange can then be eaten at once or dried in the sun. For a tasty snack, sugar is added to the mixture before drying. The sugared version is incredibly popular with school-going children.
Makhalange is a noteworthy snack that can be enjoyed even during the process of making it. Do you like your makhalange right after it is fried or after it is sun-dried? Does the sugary version remind you of your school-going days?
Let us know in the comments!
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