Mitoo in Maragoli and kimiro in Lubukusu are two lesser-known traditional Luhya vegetables belonging to the Crotalaria spp. family. One of the two species that is frequently used as a vegetable is Crotalaria brevidensa, or sunhemp. The other is called Giant sunhemp, or Crotalaria ochroleucaa.
Miro gets its bad name from the previous C. brevidensa since it’s an especially bitter veggie that takes some getting accustomed to. Because it is significantly less bitter, the later variety, C. ochroleucaa, is fast becoming a new favorite among younger generations.
Two reasons why mitoo isn’t a favorite among traditional Luhya vegetables are the difficulty involved in picking off the small leaflets from the stem. If the mitoo has been allowed to wither and isn’t fresh from the shamba, then woe be to you! I have no jealousy towards you.
Miro, especially the giant hemp (non bitter variety) is a good source of green manure. When intercropped with maize or planted in rotation, it’s been observed that “maize may withstand two additional weeks in a dry spell when intercropped with C. ochroleuca compared with monoculture.”
In Central and Western Kenya, the consumption of leafy vegetables (especially wild and bitter herbs) including mitoo is particularly important among older women. They are among the few people holding the necessary knowledge to collect and prepare these products. The preference for these plants plays an important role in their conservation. In addition to its taste, women appreciate mitoo for its slimy and mucilaginous consistency. This characteristic is associated with various healing properties including the lubrication of limbs and the ability to ease labor. Mitoo also plays an important ecological role within the local agricultural systems: Being a legume, it fixes nitrogen in the soil and ensures an excellent fodder source for livestock. Mitoo harvesting is managed almost exclusively by women and is for domestic needs. Only surpluses are sold, with sale taking place mainly in the local markets of rural areas.
Mitoo consumption is limited due to several factors. On one hand, the available quantity is reducing due to prolonged drought periods and its cultivation is no longer common in Nakuru County. On the other hand, the change in eating habits among younger people, as well as their migration to urban centers, means that the knowledge and practices linked to this traditional plant and no longer passed on.
Creamy Mitoo(miroo) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 handful Mitoo
- 3 handful kunde or pumpkin leaves
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Big red onion
- Cooking vegetables oil
- Salt to taste
Cooking Instructions
- Step 1Prepare the vegetables by plucking off leaves from stem of Mitoo, and also to kunde.
- Step 2Clean vegetables to rid them of soil, clean with running water
- Step 3In a pot over medium heat, cook vegetables in their own water, so to regulate the heat so that water doesn’t evaporate off so fast
- Step 4Add milk or cream, once done it reduces the slimmy texture, add cooking oil, and chopped onions and stir, cover for about 3min,and let onions cook through.. Season with salt and serve with ugali
