A collection of Kenya’s favorite dishes
Nyama Choma (Roasted Meat)
This is one of Kenya’s unofficial staple food and is basically meat that is barbecued over charcoal fire. This meat can either be goat’s or cow’s and is placed on a grilling wire over the fire and roasted at a moderate heat until it becomes soft. Sometimes salt is usually added before roasting the meat and at times it is added after is ready to be eaten. It is usually served with ugali (maize meal), cooked potatoes, bread, kienyeji and fries. It is very rare to have it served on a plate and what happens is that it is placed on a cutting board and chopped into small pieces. Kachumbari (chopped onions, tomatoes and chilli) is also served together with this meal.
Pilau (Rice)
This is rice that has been cooked differently and it is a coastal favorite. Rice is washed and cleaned in a different bowl. Then on the other bowl you fry onions in cooking oil until they turn color brown and add garlic and ginger and fry for one and a half minutes on medium heat and then add tomatoes to cook until it becomes soft.You then add potatoes, meat (cooked and cut) and rice stir add salt to taste and then cook it on medium heat and when it is almost dry turn down the heat and cook further for ten minutes. You will rarely attend a wedding that does not serve this food to their guests. Usually made to serve many people at gatherings.
Tilapia (Fish)
You will find this delicacy most common in the western region of the country. In Kisumu although it has caught up with almost every part of the country. It is prepared by first washing the fish and cutting it into pieces. Make ready tomatoes and onions by peeling and slicing them. You then put oil in a saucepan add the onions till brown then add the tomatoes and some other spices and add some water. Let it boil for a few minutes then add the fish, cover it and have it simmered for close to thirty minutes and add some salt to taste then continue to boil until it has cooked. Serve hot with ugali.
Ugali and Sukuma wiki (Maize meal and Fried Spinach)
There is no home in Kenya that does not have this food as part of their diet. This is the official staple food of the country. With the maize meal, you boil water in a sauce pan then add maize flour while stirring, after it has thickened cook it for ten minutes and place the cake in a plate. Serve hot with beef stew. Sukuma wiki is spinach that has been chopped. Heat a sauce pan and place oil. Then add peeled onions and brown it and add peeled tomatoes and stir until it becomes tender. Add the chopped spinach and stir for a few minutes. Serve hot with Ugali.
These are a few of Kenya’s Food. I will look at more delicacies in detail in my next posts.