Category: Main (Page 36 of 37)

Chicken Biryani

September 23, 2014 / Kaluhi / 13 Comments

One of my closest friends while I was growing up was a beautiful girl called Sakina. We were very close and played at each other’s homes all the time. Our parents too were very close because ours was a relatively close knit neighborhood. Like nearly every African country, one home’s celebration is the entire neighborhood’s celebration. So whenever there was a party or celebration at Sakina’s place, it was the entire neighborhood’s celebration. I absolutely loved to go to their place because Sakina’s mum always whipped up the most decadent and exotic meals I would have in a long time. Served in generous portions, she made sure that all guests had their tummies full. The parties at Sakina’s home were not to be missed. Period! The very first time I had biryani was at their home, and it really blew my breath away. Today, I relived those fantastic memories and made this unforgettable chicken biryani. This recipe is so fantastic, it will make people want to move in with you.

Dreamy Dill Mashed Potatoes

September 20, 2014 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

We all have those meals we turn to when we want to break the monotony of the week. In our house, everyone is crazy about mashed potatoes. They are not only delicious, but they are very easy to make and can be make within the week without huge levels of stress. Potatoes are an amazing starch because they are like a blank canvas that can enable you to incorporate different components to enhance or even transform them. In our house, mashed potatoes go beyond just taking potatoes and pounding them, but we add coconut cream to make them aromatic, milk to remove all lumps ,cheddar cheese to make them creamy and dill to make them more nutritious.
These dreamy dill mashed potatoes are so light, yet so filling and without doubt, you will enjoy this too.

Curry and Coconut Cream Githeri

September 16, 2014 / Kaluhi / 33 Comments

Githeri is a bean and maize casserole of sorts and it is served throughout Kenya. It is a very popular meal because it is healthy and also because it makes it easy to include all food groups in one meal. In my country, this is one meal that all boarding schools have in common. Before I joined boarding school, I would hear tales from my elder sisters, Cheredi and Sieva, about how hard the maize in their school githeri was. I quietly thought to myself that it really couldn’t be THAT hard! That was until my first Wednesday evening when our supper was githeri. The maize was indeed hard, and for the first time, that hot January evening, I really missed home food. But I put on my big girl pants and had my meal, appreciating the fact that at least I had something to put in my tummy that day.
The githeri I made today has the softest maize though. Traditionally, it is made with only onions and tomatoes, however my twist on this Kenyan delicacy is adding the richness of coconut cream & curry powder, and using cumin and mustard seeds, whose oils play up the githeri flavor. This is the best githeri you will ever have without doubt!

Coal Grilled Fish Fillet

September 9, 2014 / Kaluhi / 8 Comments

I have spent the better part of my life in one of the most vibrant suburbs in Nairobi – Lang’ata. Besides the fact that you can literally find everything at your door step (something I absolutely miss), Lang’ata seemed to come alive in the evenings. At dusk, these suburb streets filled with people rushing from work, clicks of youth lazily strolling, school children in their school uniforms and music-blasting matatus making their rounds. Street food vendors would erect their stands, prepare their food and serve the awaiting customers. The aromas that filled the cool evening air were those of roast maize, mutura, mshikaki and bhajia. I fondly remember the ladies who sold fried fish. With their wide grins and eager eyes, it was almost impossible to pass them by without buying some fish for yourself. These were the memories playing in my mind as I made this coal grilled tilapia fish fillet. It soaked in a rich marinade before cooking and this played up its flavor.
If you love fish, you will fall head over heels with this recipe that I got from one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten. And if you do not like fish, I will make you a believer!

Cumin Bhajia with Tatziki

September 2, 2014 / Kaluhi / 9 Comments

In my primary school, we used to wash our classrooms every Friday afternoon before heading home for the weekend. This not only instilled a sense of responsibility and cleanliness in us but made our learning environment a lot more conducive. We would wash our classroom as fast as we possibly could so that we could proceed to play for the rest of the afternoon. When we were released to go home on Friday, my friends and I would walk home instead of taking public matatu transportation. We would indulge in our silly girly musings and pass by some shops not too far from school to buy bhajias. I always made sure to save my 5 shillings so that I did not miss out. To us, this signaled the end of the school week and we ushered in the weekend with the tastiest snacks which were very popular with school going children. The bhajias we bought from the neighbourhood shops were usually served with some chilli powder and/or salt. Today, I went down memory lane and made my bhajia with a cumin infused batter together with the creamiest tatziki dip that’s both easy to make and tasty to have.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Coconut Milk Stewed Matoke

August 30, 2014 / Kaluhi / 16 Comments

Think about your childhood for a moment… If you were like most kids, there was always that meal you never liked to eat, despite it being healthy for you. Be it pumpkin, broccoli, peas or fish, there must have been something that you could not get down your throat. For me it was Matoke. I just found it absolutely unappealing, yet a month would not go by without my mum preparing it for us. With time, however, I really grew to like it and today it is one of my favourite Kenyan dishes.
One of my readers asked how she can prepare a meal without the use of spices and still make it tasty. My answer was simple: use the original source of the spice. For instance, instead of using ground garlic, use freshly pounded garlic cloves. I always cook with spices so I took this as a challenge and decided to make one of my favourite dishes, without spices. And let me tell you, it turned out better than I could have ever imagined.
From my heart to yours, I hope you enjoy this coconut milk stewed matoke as much as I did.

Outback Sandwich

August 26, 2014 / Kaluhi / 17 Comments

During the weekends, I usually unwind while watching a nice movie or series or immersing myself in a novel. When I engage in either of these activities, I usually like to have a snack by my side. Most of the time I just have a fruit but sometimes I like have something richer and with diverse flavors.
One of my favourite snacks is my mouthwatering Outback Sandwich. I made it once as I was playing around with different ingredients and lucky for me, the first time I made it it turned out fantastic and I have not made a single change to the recipe.
The sweet and sour sauce of this sandwich is the highlight and it marries all the other ingredients with the ham so beautifully. The best part of it all, as usual, is that you can make this at home. Believe me, one bite of this sandwich will give you some serious intergalactic taste bud euphoria!!!

Whether you are watching an EPL match, binging on your favourite series or snacking after your hike, this is the sandwich that you should be biting into!