Potatoes, Peas, and Corn - Kenyan Irio

Recipe Name: Irio

Subtitle: mashed peas with potatoes and corn

Culture: Kenya

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Recipe story:

In Kenyan language of kikuyu, irio just means food. But in daily use it means a quick dish of regions staples: mashed potatoes, corn beans and greens. This dish is a very healthy meal because it contains vegetables good for the body development.

Ingredients:

· 1 ½ pounds baking potatoes, pealed and coarsely chopped.

· 2 ½ cups of water

· 1 ½ teaspoon salt

· 2 cups frozen green peas

· 1 tablespoon of butter

· ¾ finely chopped onion

· 4 cups of chopped spinach, kale or watercress.

· 1 ½ cup frozen whole kernel corn.

Direction:

1. Combine potatoes, 2 ½ cups of water and salt in a medium sauce pan over high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, covered, for 7 minutes.

2. Add peas; cover and cook until it is tender. Drain potato mixture in a colander reserving one cup of drained liquid.

3. Melt the butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, sauté. 4 minutes until tender. Add spinach and corn; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until spinach wilts and corn is roughly heated. Remove from heat.

4. Pass potatoes and peas through a ricer or food mill or mash with potato masher. Stir potato mixture and enough of reserved cooking liquid into spinach mixture to create a creamy texture.