Tag: food

Vimumunya vya Chumvi (Pumpkin & Coconut Milk)
“Vimumunya” is a Swahili word that connotes the way this dish is eaten. It is a pumpkin meal that is common among communities in the coastal region, particularly among the Mijikenda community. It is served as a main course among the Mijikenda and as a dessert among the Bajuni community.

Ingredients
Pumpkin, raw (739 g)
– 1 tsp. (6 g) salt iodized
– 1 1/8 cups (253 g) coconut milk
– 1 cup (223 g) water

Preparation 5 minutes | Cooking 25 minutes | Serves 4
• Peel the pumpkin and cut it into chunks.
• Put pumpkin into a pot, add all the water, and start
cooking.
• Add salt and bring to boil for 15 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and boil for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Serve.

The foundation of this dish is coconut milk, to ensure that the layers of thinner and thicker coconut milk combine, shake the can of canned coconut milk before opening it.
Coconut milk is thinned with water to make the dessert less thick.
The best pumpkin for this dessert is pumpkin Kabocha squash since it most closely resembles the pumpkins found in Kenya. Slice the flesh into bite-sized pieces after cutting open, then remove the seeds.
You can leave the skin on for a beautiful splash of green color or remove it if you like because it is edible when cooked.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Oatmeal
This quick-to-prepare recipe is eaten mainly for breakfast and is common among urban dwellers. It is
eaten by the entire family.

Ingredients
– 1 cup (119 g) oats
– 2 1/3 cups (529 g) water
– ¼ tsp. (1 g) salt iodized

Preparation 5 minutes | Cooking 5 minutes | Serves 4
• Put the whole amount of oats and all the water
into a pot and place it on the stove.
• Add a little salt to taste. Bring to a boil while stirring
continuously.
• Boil for 1 minute, remove from heat and cover.
• Serve.

Definitely among the foods that are most nourishing are oats. They are abundant in a variety of minerals, such as manganese, which is crucial for our bodies metabolic processes, as well as vitamins like B1 (thiamine), which aids in the conversion of carbohydrates into energy.

Additionally, oats are a fantastic source of fiber for your digestive health and are high in antioxidants. Eating them frequently and including them in beauty recipes, such as face masks and hair rinses, has even more advantages for your appearance.

In place of typical breakfast cereals, oats form a fantastic breakfast food. If you’re seeking for healthy snack options, you may also learn to make a variety of oat snacks at home, such as cookies and cakes, in addition to eating them as porridge.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Tosti Mayai (Egg Toast)
Egg on toast is a popular recipe used to enrich bread among urban dwellers. It is prepared by simply
dipping bread slices in a beaten egg, then frying on a lightly oiled pan. Mainly serves as a breakfast item and is eaten by the entire family.

Ingredients
– 2 eggs, whole (134 g)
– 1/8 tsp. (1 g) salt iodized
– 1/8 cup (28 g) cooking oil
– 4 slices bread, white (123 g)

Preparation 10 minutes | Cooking 10 minutes |
Makes 4
• Break eggs into a clean bowl, add salt, and beat.
• Heat a wide pan for 1 minute on high heat.
• Put oil and spread it into the pan. Heat the oil for
1 minute.
• Dip bread slices into the eggs, and turn to coat both
sides of each slice.
• Gently place all the egg-soaked bread slices onto
the greased pan.
• Cook each side for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and serve.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Qita (Maize & Wheat Flour Pancake)
Qita commands respect among the Burji’s as a breakfast dish and an all-day snack. Uniquely prepared with a mix of corn and wheat flour, Qita is deliciously spiced and is enjoyed by the entire family.

Ingredients
– 2 cups (312 g) wheat flour, refined
– 3 cups (533 g) maize flour, white, refined
– 1 tbsp. (7 g) yeast, dry
– 3 ¼ cups (835 g) water
– ½ tbsp. (6 g) salt iodized
– 4 tbsp. (61 g) butter, cow
– 1 tbsp. (13 g) mixed spices
– 2 cloves garlic (2 g)

Preparation 2 hours 30 minutes | Cooking 40 minutes |
Serves 4
• Measure wheat flour, maize flour, yeast, water, and salt.
Mix the flours (wheat and maize) in a bowl and add the
salt.
• Heat the water in a pan until warm. Add ¼ cup of the
water to the yeast. Create a hole in the flour and pour
in the yeast mixture.
• Mix properly using your hands. Keep adding the rest of the
water to the flour gradually and mixing by hand.
• Set aside to rise for 2 hours.
• Melt the butter in a cooking pot. Add crushed garlic and
mixed spices.
• Once they are evenly mixed, remove them from the fire and
sieve to remove residue.
• Add the butter preparation to the flour mixture and stir
until evenly mixed.
• Heat a cooking pan for 4 minutes. Using a small soup
spoon, pour 2 scoops of the batter onto the heated pan.
• Using your hands, spread it out into the desired thickness.
• Cover the pan. After 3 minutes, it will have turned golden brown. Flip it over.
• After 2 minutes, flip it over again.
• Keep turning it over until it hardens.
• Add the desired batter and spread. One piece takes 8 minutes to cook.
• Again, pour 2 scoops onto the pan. Using the hands,
spread to the desired size.
• Repeat the process until all the batter is used.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Drop Scones
Commonly referred to as “Drops”, these scones acquired their name from the way the butter is placed
on the pan during cooking. A very popular dish in urban areas, drop scones are served as a breakfast
snack. They are enjoyed by the entire family.

Ingredients
– 3 cups (398 g) wheat flour, self-raising
– 3 eggs, whole (183 g)
– 1 3/4 cups (392 g) cow milk
– ½ cup (93 g) sugar, white
– 1/3 cup (63 g) margarine
– ½ cup (121 g) water
– 1 pinch (2 g) salt, iodized
– 1 ½ cups (293 g) cooking oil

Preparation 20 minutes | Cooking 30 minutes |
Makes 40
• Put the wheat flour into a mixing bowl.
• Rub in the margarine until fine.
• Dissolve sugar into the milk and stir.
• Add the sugar and milk mixture to the flour.
• Stir then add all the water till it is smooth with no
lumps.
• Break the eggs and add to the mixture.
• Add a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
• Continue stirring until it is evenly mixed, and it starts
to bubble.
• The consistency of this mixture should be thicker than
that of pancake.
• Heat the pan for 3 minutes.
• Put a little cooking oil into the pan.
• Pour a scoop at the time of the batter onto the pan until
the surface of the pan is covered by the batter.
• Let the batter drops set on one side then turn.
• Add a little oil and keep turning until the drops turn
golden brown.
• Remove from the fire and place paper towels on a tray.
• Repeat the process till all batter is finished,
• Allow to cool and serve.

“Combine the eggs, sugar, and approximately half the milk; add the flour; mix well; add the remaining milk as needed; add the bicarbonate of soda and the cream of tartar; and fold in the melted butter. 16 people can be fed by the recipe.

Drop scones, commonly referred to as Scotch pancakes, receive their name from the way the mixture is dropped in soft dollops onto the frying surface. Scones were first made in Scotland.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Pancakes (Chapati za Maji)
This is a popular recipe among urban dwellers but also common across the country. It is loved for its simplicity and ease of preparation as a breakfast dish. Pancakes are eaten by the entire family.

Ingredients
– 3 cups (433 g) wheat flour, refined, all
purpose
– 2 eggs, whole (112 g)
– 2 1/3 cups (528 g) cow milk, fresh
– 1/8 cup (22 g) sugar, white
– 11/3 cups (303 g) water
– ¾ cup (160 g) cooking oil

Preparation 20 minutes | Cooking 30 minutes |
Makes 9
• Put the wheat flour into a bowl.
• Dissolve sugar into the milk then pour the sugar and
milk mixture into the flour.
• Add all the water.
• Start mixing the pancake batter either using an egg
whisk or a wooden bowl.
• Mix well until it comes to a smooth consistency.
• Break eggs and add to the mixture in the bowl.
• Continue mixing until everything is smooth and with
no lumps.
• Put the frying pan onto the fire and let it heat for 2
minutes.
• Pour batter into the frying pan.
• Pour just enough for it to mold into the shape of
the pan.
• Let the batter set on one side and then turn over
after 2 minutes.
• Once you turn over, apply cooking oil onto the
pancake and spread.
• Turnover and repeat the same procedure for the
other side.
• Keep turning as needed until it cooks on both sides
(turns golden brown and is cooked on the inside).
• Remove from the fire and place on paper towels on
a plate.
• Repeat the process until all the batter is finished.
• Serve.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Meat Samosa (Sambusa ya Nyama)
Nothing is more delicious than the Kenyan meaty samosa! Mainly an urban dish, the meaty samosa serves as a breakfast item and a whole-day snack. It is enjoyed by the entire family.

Ingredients
– ½ kg minced beef
– 30 g coriander, fresh
– 1 stem (356 g) leek, unpeeled, raw
– 1 clove (5 g) garlic, unpeeled, raw
– ¼ tsp. (1 g) chili pepper, fresh, raw
– 3 cups (475 g) wheat flour, refined
– ½ tsp. (2 g) salt iodized
– 1¼ cups (264 g) water
– 3 cups (572 g) cooking oil

Preparation 1 hour | Cooking Time 1 hour | Makes 28
Meat Filling:
• Put the meat in a pan over a fire. Stir continuously.
• When the juices start oozing out from the meat, cover to cook.
• Finely chop the leek, coriander and crush the garlic. Mix them
together in a bowl.
• Add salt and chili to the meat after about 10 minutes.
• Continue stirring and crushing the meat to prevent it from
forming balls.
• Cook the meat until it dries.
• Add the leek, garlic, and coriander after 4 minutes and stir.
• Remove from the fire after 1 minute.
• Let the meat cool before using it to fill the casings.

Vegetable filling cooking:
• In a pot, heat 4 tablespoons of oil for 2 minutes.
• Add onions to cook for 12 minutes.
• Add garlic, ginger, and green chili. Cook for 3
minutes.
• Add carrots, stir, and cover to cook for 2 minutes.
• Add cabbage, and stir. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add salt, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
• Add peas and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let this cool before filling
the pockets.

Samosa pocket preparation:
• Put 3 ½ cups of wheat flour in a bowl and add 1
cup of cold water.
• Mix the ingredients and knead to a soft dough.
• Divide the dough and roll it into medium-sized balls.
• Lightly dust the rolling surface to prevent the
dough from sticking to the working surface.
Flatten the balls and apply a little oil onto the
the surface of each of the spread dough and stack
three pieces together (the oil will help the layers
to separate later).
• Roll out each stack into thin discs.
• Place a circular plate on the rolled-out dough
and trim the edges to form a circle the size of the
plate.
• Place a pan on the fire on high heat for 1 minute.
• Place the rolled-out dough onto the hot pan and
lightly cook each side for 1 minute.
• Separate each lightly cooked layer (previously
placed on top of each other), place into a wide
bowl or plate, and cover to prevent them from drying.
• Spread the next batch of stacked discs and cook for
1 minute on each side.

To make the paste:
• The paste is used to seal the envelopes as a bonding agent.
• Mix ¾ cup of wheat flour and ¾ cup of water to
make a paste.
• Make the casings using the paste to bond and seal
the edges.
• Fold the layers previously covered into 2, cut them into
half, and then into quarters.
• Take a quarter and fold it into a samosa case and
apply the paste to hold the edges together.
• Repeat this for the rest of the batches.

Filling the Samosa:
•  Take each piece and fill in the pocket in the
previously prepared vegetables.
• Use the wheat flour-water paste to seal the
samosa case.

Cooking:
• Put the remaining oil onto a pan and heat for 17
minutes or until the oil bubbles when a pinch of
the dough is dropped in the oil.
• Drop the samosa gently into the oil and cook each
side for 2 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oil and place over kitchen towels
to drain any excess oil.

An international favorite with a rich cultural history is the samosa. It has Middle Eastern origins and is a popular street food in countries like Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. In the Middle East, it is known as sambusa or sambosa.
Samosas frequently come in triangle shapes and are filled with a variety of ingredients, including as meat, cheese, potatoes, vegetables, and spices. A thin layer of flaky dough or crisp, thin bread is then placed over the filling before being expertly fried or baked.
The texture of meat samosas is one of its most distinguishing features. The flavorful and luscious interior is the ideal complement to the flaky, crunchy pastry shell. The pastry is often made from a mixture of flour, water, and oil. The dough is smoothed, thinned out, and then cut into triangles

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Kaimati (Fried Dumplings)
The method used to add yeast to wheat flour gives kaimati its distinctive flavor.
The Swahili and Bajuni communities frequently eat this traditional breakfast food or midday snack, which was brought over from Arab culture. It serves the whole family.

Ingredients
– 2 cups (280 g) wheat flour, refined
– 2 cups (447 g) water
– ½ tsp. (3 g) vanilla essence, clear
– ½ tsp. (1 g) cardamoms powder
– 1¼ tbsp. (12 g) yeast, dry
– 5 1/8 cups (1000 g) cooking oil
– 4 tbsp. (56 g) sugar

Preparation 20 minutes | Cooking 30 minutes | Serves 4
• Put yeast in a small container.
• Add 50ml of warmed water.
• Add 4 tbsp. of sugar and allow to stand for 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, warm the rest of the water in a cooking pot.
• Mix dry ingredients together; flour, cardamoms, and vanilla
essence in a bowl.
• Add ¼ cup (50 g) of oil into the mixture and rub in until finely
absorbed.
• Add the yeast preparation to the flour mixture, adding the
lukewarm water gradually while mixing to a semi-solid consistency.
• Cover with a dry towel/ cloth and allow to stand for 4 minutes
until the dough rises.
• In a pan put the rest of the oil and heat for 7 minutes or until
the oil bubbles when a pinch of dough is dropped in the oil.
• Shape the dough into round balls and put into the hot oil,
keep turning to cook evenly.
• Deep fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from oil.

Ingredients (sugar syrup)
– 1 cup (187 g) white sugar
– ½ cup (116g) water
– ½ tsp. (4 g) vanilla essence, clear

Preparation of sugar syrup;
• Mix the sugar, water, and vanilla essence in a cooking pan.
• Put on the heat for 5 minutes.
• Stir to prevent sugar from sticking on the sides of the pan; the
mixture should be sticky.
• Add the fried dumplings to the sugar syrup and stir to coat
them in the syrup while still on the heat.
• Swirl until the syrup covers all the dumplings.
• Serve as desired.

The oozy dough balls known as kaimatis are a decadent speciality from the Kenyan Coast that are covered in mouthwatering syrup. They not only taste amazing but also take only a few minutes to put together.

These treats are typically made as a dessert or a delectable snack in many homes during the Holy Month of Ramadhan, but they are also available year-round as street food on the steamy Kenyan Coast.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities

Enriched Mandazi (East African Doughnuts, Enriched)
A popular snack among urban dwellers across the country, enriched mandazi is a doughnut made with
eggs plus fresh milk and conditioned with margarine; it is a favorite breakfast item for the entire family.

Ingredients
7 cups (1063 g) self-raising wheat flour
3 eggs (179 g)
9 tbsp. (118 g) margarine
Rind from 2 lemons (15 g)
¾ cup (144 g) sugar
½ tsp. (2 g) salt iodized
7 cups (1039 g) cooking fat
11/3 cups (289 g) cow milk
1¼ cups (282 g) water

Preparation 45 minutes | Cooking 30 minutes | Serves 4
• Put flour, salt, sugar and lemon rind into a bowl and
mix.
• Mix all the water with the milk and warm.
• Add margarine into the dry ingredients and rub in.
• Add eggs onto the dry ingredients and mix.
• Add the warm diluted milk into the bowl and knead the
mixture into a soft dough.
• Cover the dough with a dump cloth for 40 minutes.
• Heat all the cooking fat in a pot for 10 minutes or until
the oil bubbles when a pinch of dough is dropped in
the oil.
• Roll out the dough into the desired thickness; about a
¼ of an inch thick.
• Cut the dough into preferred shapes.
• Gently drop the cut-out pieces into the hot oil.
• Fry one side until golden brown and turn.
• Remove from oil and place onto paper towels to drain
any excess oil.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the pieces.
• Serve as desired.

Content courtesy of Kenya Food Recipes, Mama Ntilie & NFH
A Recipe Book of Common Mixed Dishes With Nutrient Values, As Prepared By Communities