Life. Love. Food

Tag: best food blogs in the world (Page 1 of 2)

Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake

I think it is universally agreed that the best recipes are those that are both very simple and very delicious. Do not get me wrong, I honestly do not mind putting in the time and cooking meals that demand that investment. It always pays off in the end! However, sometimes one is just tired, but still, in the mood to eat something supper yum. In instances such as those, I almost always turn to my cheesy chicken pasta bake.

This recipe is simple and an easy crowd-pleaser. It is a default when impromptu guests come knocking. It is impossible not to love and just as difficult not to savor! This is for certain gonna be among your family’s absolute faves!

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Sticky Pork Ribs with Mango BBQ sauce

Long time no post!! Hey my love! How has your year started off? Mine has been slow and fast-paced in equal measure. But so far, I am feeling optimistic about 2023. Life, as we all know, will always hand us near equal amounts of woe and joy. But last year – for me – was almost all woe. It was a heavy year, one whose darkness nearly wore me down to the bone. It ground my feet into pulp but now I am slowly regaining my footing. Laughter is returning to my lips. Calm is returning to my soul. I still have a lot to remedy, but I have hope that soon the sun will shine on my face and joy shall be a regular in my days. Hope. That is what I am feeling. Hope that things will be better. Hope that things will be stable. Hope that love will balm my scars and offer me a steady ground to once again take root in. And in the theme of getting back into the swing of things, let’s kick of 2023 with one of my favorite things I have eaten this far!

I have filmed so much content, so much so that it can last till the last quarter of this year. This was among the last one’s I filmed but I just had to bump it and post it as the first of the year. It captures both the glory of mango season and the perfection of baby back ribs. You will fall in love with this one!

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Ginger Coconut Cream Tilapia

Obviously I was going to start this blog by saying I. LOVE. FISH. We have walked this journey since 2014 and those of you who have been part of my tribe since then know in my heart of heart, the one meat I can comfortably eat every day for the rest of my life is fish. The variety is plenty. Each different fish tastes and feels different and I love love love that there are a billion ways to cook it too.

Tilapia has always been most common in this country. It has gained popularity in other countries as well over the recent years (which I noticed on twitter that they call Tilapia a lab animal and one that does not exist in real life (???) but I also understand in first world countries so much Genetic Modification happens such that one can live a full life without seeing or tasting the real thing). It is pretty affordable, super tasty and extremely flavorful. Today’s recipe is a take on one I made in 2016 – you can check it out here – with today spinning my original recipe and upgrading it very slightly, but in a manner that your palate will love!

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Back To Basics – Crepes

Weekends at home have often started with hearty breakfasts. It would be anything really but it would always be super special. I specifically love it when mom makes drop scones. I swear no one does it better than her!! My elder sister does make the best crepes. Well I do too, but I prefer sleeping till 11 a.m. and not have to cook too early in the morning lol. We are now grown and we all participate in the breakfast process, we all contribute in different ways. Think kebabs or samosas or pancakes or loaf cakes… it could be anything. And in my home, I now also make sure that weekend breakfasts are just as yummy. If you follow me on Twitter, you know crepes often feature. And upon your request, today we are going to do the foundational crepe recipe which I hope you will really enjoy!

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Ginger Sweet Corn Fried Rice

Life is super fast paced, more so now that we are adults and it  has gotten real! I have made a conscious choice to stop and smell the roses. It is very easy to get swept by the undercurrent of life. And if one does not deliberately stop and just be, the present business can consume you. Lately I have been reminiscing about my career, especially now that I am nearly reaching my 8th anniversary! Who would have thought that this girl would build a monster of a brand off of her name! Who would have thought I would keep this going for nearly a decade? Who would have thought simple ideas would turn into laughter on your dinner tables? Who would have thought! It has been quite the journey and I am deeply appreciative of every win, every stress point, every steep learning curve, every glorious collaboration and certainly, for every one of you.

Today’s recipe – my ginger sweet corn fried rice – is super simple. This particular one is a better rendition to this one I made and posted in August of 2014. I have no idea why the images are broken on that post, but it is completely worth it that I tweaked it a little bit and posted it once more for you to try out.

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Pilipili ya Kukaanga

Happy Wednesday my love bugs! Isn’t this year going so fast? Or is it that the business of adult life makes it seem as though everything is rushing to anywhere? Here in Kenya the weather is cooling down and things are about to get super cosy! That only calls for all the cosiest of meals and drinks and a bit of spicy ones too to crank up the heat! Regardless of weather, I always have some pipilipi ya kukaanga in my fridge. It is the most perfect relish, that is super versatile too and I would love for you guys to lean into it’s power, hence this post!

Pilipili ya kukaanga would roughly translate to cooked chili. It is a Kiswahili term and the relish itself is very common and enjoyed throughout our coastal regions. It is typically enjoyed with pilau, however I truly feel like it can go with nearly anything else. It is blazing hot, slightly zingy, mildly sweet and a glorious relish full of character you have to make a staple in your home!

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Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Kuku Kinyeji

I cannot begin to explain how fast December melted right through my fingers. For me, it has been my most intense, most fast paced month of 2021. One minute it was 1st, the next, it was 2 days to Christmas. What a ride! I have had the highest highs, and my lowest lows were definitely this month too. Even then, I celebrate the silver linings.

We are smack in the festive season and it cannot be complete without a delicious chicken dish to bring all of us together. There are billions of ways to prepare and enjoy chicken,  however one that always speaks to my soul is kuku kienyeji. I love my kienyeji and to me, it is the taste of home. For this Christmas season, I hope you get to enjoy my roasted garlic and rosemary kuku kienyeji.

This post is in collaboration with Kenchic Limited and I have a massive giveaway for you guys!

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Ginger Garlic Chicken Thigh Bake

My guku (grandmother) always makes sure you leave her home with an impossibly full tummy and more food to cook when you get home. She is very generous, and she equally loves being spoilt which is never a problem to us. I last saw her in August, and she was sooo happy to see me. We talked about many things; about work, about her shamba, about politics, about family, about my babies who are yet to be concieved let alone born lol….about everything. On that day, I had heavy breakfast with a good friend of mine. We left home, he went to work and I went to guku’s. Immediately on arrival I had mahindi choma. Shortly afterwards, I had tea and bread. Then afterwards I had ugali ya wimbi, kuku choma and creamy managu. I had four meals within a span of about 5 hours. She said I am too little for a 30 year old, and she was serious about feeding me. Because it rains every afternoon in Maragoli, I wanted to leave before the storm. She gave me a sack of tender green maize; to boil and to use for githeri. I had a massive She also wanted to give me a chicken, but the chicken outsmarted the catcher. I left without it. She calls me ever so often to remind me that my chicken is still there. Still being fattened, and still waiting for me.

I generally love chicken. It is my third favorite meat to have and my faaaavorite part is the thigh. Thighs take on flavor so well, they are always so juicy and beautifully meaty. This recipe is a family favorite. I had shared it last year on my IGTv but I thought it beautiful to have it immortalized by having it on my blog and YouTube channel as well.

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Nutmeg and Cinnamon Blueberry French Toast Casserole

I love me a great brunch! I love waking up late, staying in bed for an hour, dragging myself around the house for yet another hour then dressing up and going out for a fantastic brunch with friends. Since the pandemic started, I personally have been eating out aloooot less. I never used to eat out that much to begin with, but the pandemic truly slowed me down significantly. That however does not mean I don’t do my brunches at home. I love brunch at home because I can customize what I want according to what my palate wants. I love a mix of savoury and sweet, but more of the former than the latter. This nutmeg and Cinnamon blueberry French toast casserole is a star and makes for the perfect brunch dish.

She is fruity. She is boozy. She is spicy. And she is your next addiction.

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Orange Star Anise Cocktail

I drove to Maragoli all by myself for the first time ever late last month. What an adventure it was! The night before departure I was so nervous, but once I got on the road, it was pretty stress free and might I say, ironically both relaxing and exhausting as well. I travelled on a Monday, so the roads were pretty clear and it was so smooth! The usual stop is at Nakuru – halfway through the journey- then the next stop is usually when I get home. My main aim of stopping at Nakuru is to see my perfect nephew, hang out for a bit and then get on with the journey. For my recent trip, I had an early lunch at my sisters’ and I had some pilau, a slaw and roast potatoes. My sister cooks so well! This pilau was exceptionally flavorful, and her twist to it has some whole star anise throughout. It was delicious! While continuing driving out west, I was thinking about how I would better use the star anise I had back in Nairobi. It is so versatile, and goes so well in nearly everything! We used in in several soups in my second book, my sister added it to her pilau and for today, we are making it the main note of our cocktail.

Sunny September is now in full glory and this refreshing beauty is for sure about to star in you home brunches! She is perfect and you are gonna love her!

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Super Herby Creamy Mushroom Linguine

Every time I do a pasta post I have to start by reminding you guys how obsessed I am with every single pasta dish in the world! This is no different, so here goes: “Hi! My name is Kaluhi Adagala and I am a dedicated, toxic, overbearing member of pasta-hive and I adore it in every single form!” There are so many ways to prepare pasta. And as we discussed in this post, there are nearly 300 types of pasta, each with it’s own kataste, and each with best ways of preparing. I had some linguine in my pantry and some mushrooms in my fridge so it was just natural for me to whip up this perfect creamy beauty.

This super herby creamy mushroom linguine is one of my favorite quick lunches for a quiet weekend afternoon paired with a chilled glass of chardonnay. I love it when I want a quick, filling yet tasty dinner on a weeknight. I love it when I have a guest briefly dropping by. It is perfect and I know you will love it just as much as I do!

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Thyme and Oregano Lamb Chops

I am one of those people who cannot get something out of their mind once they start craving it. I may momentarily concentrate at the task at hand, but rest assured that what I want to eat is that lingering thought I will always have. Having not had lamb in a long time prior to this, and really wanting to have some, I was totally not going to rest or concentrate on anything until I had some. And you know what, I went out and got myself some lamb, made a delicious marinate for it and cooked it the next day. I could hardly sit through the marination, but I knew I wanted it delicious so I had to wait. And yes, it was worth the wait! This was one very very simple recipe, but as always, one you will fall inlove with <3.

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Chicken Curry

Nowadays I have been eating very little meat. Not for any particular reason, or any particular goal in mind, I just found myself having almost none in my servings  even in two weeks. But when I do feel like having some, I make sure I make it DELICIOUS! Now I am falling back in love with my meat and I am having plenty of lamb and chicken now. My current favorite ways of cooking my chicken are my kuku wa kupaka (if you have not tried out my recipe yet, what are you waiting for?) and chicken curry. I was shocked when I realized I have not shared this recipe with you guys yet, and decided this month would not end without you having a taste of this awesomeness. It is so easy to make, does not take mush time and it is explosively delicious, in true Kaluhi fashion. This is about to be your newest favorite!

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Mango Plum Nicecream

I live for mango season! I always make sure that as much as I can, I eat as many of them while they are at their sweetest! They are now super easy to find now (duh!!) but sometimes, you can buy some that are not as sweet since different vendors buy them from different sources. I finally fount a vendor close to home who sells the absolute sweetest mangoes in the entire world, and each time I leave home, I make sure I pass by his spot, and get me some. He is my new best friend!!  Because of the large stock at home, I also try as much as possible to incorporate them into my recipes so that they do not go bad. From pancakes, to salads, to possets, it is a true mango extravaganza!!! Now that it is 3 billion degrees in Nairobi, the best way to cool off for me these days is by having nice cream! Super easy to make, dairy free and you will not need any special gadget to make it.

I hope you love this as much as I do <3

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Thyme Beef Burger with Passion Habanero BBQ Sauce

“Na kunanukia!!!! Zimeiva?”  (“They smell great! Are they done?”) My sister yelled form the stair case as she made her way to the kitchen where I was. I was not really in the mood for cooking because of cramps, but my sister pushed me and after some pain killers I decided to make something indulgent for both of us. Good food makes everything better right? And I had no regrets!!! Step after step after step and few moments later, there you are sinking your teeth into something juicy and delicious!!!The best burgers are those that we make at home. That is when you can customize  flavors according to your preference. Aroma of herbs filled the air. Sound of a sharp sear made me salivate.  And your next favorite burger is my thyme beef burger with my passion fruit bbq sauce <3 <3

This recipe, and all other recipes here on out, will be accompanied by short but sweet videos on my YouTube channel, so if you are yet to subscribe, do so HERE, right now, then come over and lets get into what this burger is all about <3

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Spicy Lime Honey Marinated Seared Shrimp

One of my favorite moments of 2016 was when 6 Kenyan food bloggers and myself got to visit Lamu for the annual Lamu Food Festival. It was a magical three day trip that saw me fall in love with the island paradise, it’s people, their culture, their scenic beaches and enchanting buildings. The food was delicious and having been prepared by the masters themselves, it couldn’t get any better! One of the things I always remember having and often day dream about to this day was a sea food pizza we had on one of our busiest afternoons there. It had lots of uduvi (shrimp), lobster and peppers all on a base of a rich tomato sauce. We then went for a sunset dhow ride, came back had dinner (more shrimp for me :D) then set out to again for another dhow ride until midnight.  Is there such a thing like overdosing on seafood? I don’t think so! You can never really have enough!

Since I can’t go to Lamu (for now…hehehe) why not bring Lamu to me? I gave you a sneak peak of this recipe on my Instagram Story and Twitter page on Wednesday and as promised, here is the recipe <3

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Thyme & Beer Marinated Mushroom Beef Stew

I had this really fun Konversation on twitter early August about meat marination. I shared how I marinate my different meats and different variations of the same and how I like to switch things up. You can check that #KaluhisKonversation out HERE and if you are not following me on twitter yet, what on earth are you waiting for boo??! What I enjoyed most were the contributions you guys made and I was so blown away by your marinade recipes!!! When I say #KNation has the most creative people, I actually am not lying. From the different sauces you use, different combinations of chillies, spices, different citrus fruits, different dry rubs…you guys are so creative!! And all that marinade talk inspired this recipe.

I decided to make a delicious mushroom beef stew, that had been marinating in my favorite ingredients. It came out so so well and I am beyond sure that you will love this recipe too! The final recipe for my birthday month: my thyme and beer marinated mushroom beef stew.

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Kuku wa Kupaka

I get excited when my readers from outside Kenya get excited and curious about Kenyan food. I get even more giddy when they try the recipes out!! I got a call one late evening a fortnight ago from a New York Times editor curious to know how I make kuku wa kupaka. “There are many variations of the recipe, but how do you make yours special?” She asked. I explained to her exactly how I usually make mine, detailed it for her New York Times article and I thought it would also be dope if I shared the recipe with you guys right here. My kuku wa kupaka recipe (which is basically chicken cooked in a coconut sauce) is easy, delicious and regardless of your nationality, you will be able to try this out and enjoy it as well. <3

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Cumin Chicken and Mushroom Fried Rice

I absolutely love mushrooms!!! I can have them during all mealtime and I enjoy how easily they can be incorporated into nearly any dish you want!! I was deep in my love affair with mushrooms as I told you on twitter when I decided to make this recipe. It turned out way better than I had imagined and my mom really really enjoyed my cumin chicken and mushroom fried rice. And in my book, if mom  loves it, you know it is really good!!

Before we get into it, I would like to thank each one of you from the bottom of my heart for your support and encouragement through the years up until my being part of “Beyond The Plate: Best Food Blogs From Around The World”.  You are appreciated and I am where I am because of you! Thank you for all the warm comments and good vibes you all sent my way!  {{{*HUG*}}}

Now, let’s get into this bomb recipe!!

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Coconut Crepes with Passion Fruit Curd

“Absolutely delicious!!!” Those were the first words that popped into my mind after having my first bite of this creation! My eyes widened and my heart raced as I savored the flavors of my coconut crepes with passion fruit curd. I pushed my camera aside and sat on the floor and just finished the first crepe before I got up to get some tea and eat some more. That morning, I had woken up with  a severe Kraving for something sweet after enjoying lots of nyama-choma the past weekend. I just wanted something sweet so my mind went to work. I remembered taste a lemon curd I had at my friend’s place and I decided to make one but with passion fruit. To make my breakfast even more delicious, I decided to make crepes and add some desiccated coconut which I have lately been loving as an ingredient of late.Also, I am more of a crepe girl than a pancake girl :)). Have you ever made something for the very first time from the top of your head and shocked yourself with the amazing outcome? This was one of those days for me! I am sooooo excited to share this recipe with you, since you too can make this masterpiece and experience fantastic flavor with ingredients that are readily available to you.

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