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Potato, Corn & Tomato Chowder

October 7, 2014 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

If you are a cartoon and animation lover like myself, you probably know this cartoon called chowder. Chowder was and still is one of my all time favorite cartoons. I thoroughly enjoy the silliness and the old-school humor which I feel majority of cartoons these days are lacking. I then accidentally discovered that all the characters, including the main character, chowder, are all actually named after a certain dish. This was very intriguing and facinating to me, so much so that I had to research into those dishes.
In honor of my favorite cartoon, today I made a heart warming potato, corn and tomato chowder.

How To Make Vegetable Stock

October 5, 2014 / Kaluhi / 2 Comments

A stock is a liquid that is obtained from simmering various ingredients in a sufuria to extract their flavor, and the resultant liquid used as an ingredient to another recipe. These stocks can be added to soups, casseroles and even pilau instead of just using water and you can make plenty and store for the weeks to come. Vegetable stock is obtained by simmering down vegetables of your choice. Fish stock and beef stock may take several hours to prepare and one uses their respective bones to get their stocks.

You can purchase these in supermarkets, but in my country Kenya, it is very rare to come across them. This gives us the perfect chance to make our own. The best part about making your own stock is that you can adjust the component ingredients to fit your taste and you know exactly what is in it, so no preservatives or chemicals. Plus, it is so easy to make, and I will show you how.

Butternut and Dhania Chapati

October 3, 2014 / Kaluhi / 30 Comments

I still hear our squeaky little voices, our bodies bursting through the gate after an entire day of playing. With small dusty feet and tangles in our hair, my sisters and I would rush to the chair where our mom sat watching TV next to daddy or to her room where she would be “resting her eyes.”

“What’s for supper? ” We would ask.

This is the question we have asked and she has answered most. Her answer could either make us not really look forward to supper (ugali and sukumawiki) or it would make us rush to the table and have some already (chapati and meatballs).
Chapati is a flat bread, which has Indian origin, but has been tightly woven into Kenyan culture. It makes a perfect accompaniment to many stews and soups. This dish is the corner stone of any Kenyan celebration; be it Christmas, a birthday, weddings or graduation party. I made super soft chapatis but,as usual, with a little twist. My elder sister, Cheredi, put butternut in hers and I decided to follow the same route. The only difference is that I added dhania (coriander) for extra color and nutrients. If you are ready for crazy soft, beautifull tasty chapati, read on!

Purple Rain Smoothie

September 30, 2014 / Kaluhi / 10 Comments

October begins tomorrow and I could not be more excited! One of the things I love about October is all the jacaranda blossoms that beautify my already splendid Nairobi with their intoxicating purple luminescence. The city once again comes alive after the bleak and cold months of July and August. The blossoms fill the air with their fragrant scent as the wind passes through their branches and their dainty bell shaped flowers fall to the ground like purple rain, turning the ground into an enchanted pathway! This beauty inspired today’s smoothie: Purple Rain Smoothie. It is a rich smoothie that is really delicious, great for your skin and your overall health.

Coffee Glazed Cinnamon Rolls

September 26, 2014 / Kaluhi / 5 Comments

Our home has been having some electrical issues for sometime now such that in certain rooms, you cannot use high power electronics. For that reason, the oven had never been connected to the electricity. For a long time I thought that maybe using the oven will not result into any serious electrical issue. You never really know until you try. Therefore, one day when I was home alone, the risk-taker in me connected a plug to the oven wires, and to my delight it worked. I knew either everything would go well, or I would burn the house, the oven would explode or an electrical surge would destroy the entire neighborhood. Despite my fears, I went straight to work and decided to bake something. It went great but right when I was opening the oven door to remove my cinnamon rolls, the fuse went off and the plug melted. I disconnected everything, and acknowledged that I am no electrician!
As I tasted my dish, I was delighted that my risk paid off. These cinnamon rolls were so soft and the coffee beautifully offset the sweetness of the honey. I present to you my coffee glazed cinnamon rolls.

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.