Mau Forest Dried Nettles

In the Kenyan Mau forest, generations of native communities have gathered herbs and leaves, including nettles, which are a staple in Kenyan cuisine, available even during droughts. The nettles are grown in the Molo highlands at an altitude between 2000 and 3000 meters.

They are manually harvested from March to June and from September to October. After they have been harvested, the nettles are immersed in water in order to soften the stinging effect, and are then sold either fresh or dried and ground into a powder.

These nettles are traditionally dried in the shade because the sun negatively affects their bright green color. They are used in a variety of dishes such as the local porridge, or mukimo, when nettles are combined with corn, beans, and mashed potatoes.