“Tuko hapa Nyayo, umepika?” (“We are at Nyayo. What have you cooked?”) I hesitated to answer the question. I knew I had nothing ready, yet my impromptu guests were not too far off. My mum would literally slash my head off my shoulders if she found out people came home and left without something memorable in their bellies, even if the guests were mine and not hers, LOL! You see, there is a certain pressure that comes with being a food blogger. Everyone expects an elaborate banquet each time they visit your home, regardless of whether or not you are tired or you have been surviving on (delicious!) left overs. We all have those times when we just have nothing grand to present, regardless of whether you are Siba or Kaluhi. But in an African home, when guest come knocking, you have to provide. And as a food blogger, you just have to pull all the stops. I just had to deliver. #pressure

Since I was a bit time strapped & feeling a bit lazy yet still excited to have my friends over, I just had to make it work. I decided to make my cheesy Guinness beef samosas. I took an ingenious shortcut along the way, but I was sure using my Guinness and part of adding flavor to my samosa filling would be dynamite!!! As you all know, I always go an extra mile :)). These were cleared so fast coz they were just that good! Thinking about something to ring down the weekend? This is it, baby!

PREP TIME: 20 MIN           COOK TIME:50 MINUTES              MAKES: 25

Ingredients

500 g of minced beef

1 1/2 cups of spring onions, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 tablespoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of coriander powder

1/2 a tablespoon of turmeric powder

1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

6 cloves of garlic, minced

½ a cup of Guinness stout

Samosa pastry (home made or store bought)

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

Method

In a pan, add some vegetable oil and your minced beef and cook until it on high heat until it has just began to brown. Add your spring onion,minced garlic, turmeric, coriander powder, black pepper, salt and tomato paste and let this cook down for about 2 minutes. You always have to season your meat filling!!! Do not stuff your samosas with just plain boiled minced beef. No! Always season your minced beef!

Remember on Twitter during our #KaluhiKonversations how we pointed out how bomb spring onions taste with samosas? This was one of the moments to really let this ingredient shine. Read thorough that thread when we spoke about onions, learn a thing or two and follow me on Twitter if you haven’t for more interesting Konversations. Thank you @UtopianFantasy for the dope hashtag suggestion :**

Instead of adding water or beef/vegetable stock into your beef to cook down the spices, this time, we are taking it up a notch by using Guinness instead. It is absolutely perfect since it develops the flavor even further. The mild bitterness of this beer helps tenderize your meat and balance out the flavors of the spices used. The malt beautifully brings out the savoriness of the beef and will later on pair perfectly with the cheese. Also, because of the drink’s dark color as a result of the stout, it contributes to the appealing color of the meat as it cooks down which adds to its overall visual appeal.

For 500g of beef, I used 1/2 a cup of Guinness, which is about 120 ml.

Allow your meat to  cook until it has further darkened and the liquid has significantly dried up. You do not want a soggy, watery filling, but a moist well balanced one.

Place your meat aside and allow it to cool down for a few minutes. Grate your cheddar cheese and spread it over your meat. Grating it allows it to melt more readily and evenly in your samosa.  You can also use two or three kinds of cheese, but I used just one since the state of my wallet brought me back to reality.

You can make your own samosa pastries at home, but it can be a lengthy process and quite tedious in my opinion. So when I am time strapped, I often use store bought ones. Nakumatt stocks several brands ranging from sh.180-sh300. I bought the ones by Sous Chef which cost around 200 bob for 25 pieces. Not too bad.

In a bowl, mix some flour, about a tablespoon with some water to form a paste. This is what will act as your ‘glue’ for the pastry.

Here is how you fold the pasty:

Once your samosas are all ready. It is time for the homestretch. Heat some vegetable oil and place your samosas in a batch at a time, careful not to overcrowd your sufuria so that the temperature does not drop. Flash fry them until they are golden brown then remove from the heat.

Drain them on a paper towel and serve with a sauce of choice and preferably, with a nice tall glass of Guinness.

Perfectly crispy on the outside, and cheesy, meaty, juicy and boozy on the inside. This is the mother of all samosas! The cheesiness and the malt flavor from the Guinness can be felt with each bite and literally makes your eyes roll to the back of your head out of sheer ecstasy. This is not an exaggeration. It is exactly how you will feel when you eat my cheesy Guinness beef samosas.

Have one, please!

Thank Guinness Its Friday, yoh! And since the weekend has officially begun, who not make these bad boys for you to chow down while enjoying your match, or while watching a series or like me, while hosting friends. Enjoy good company and good times with some good food; and my cheesy Guinness beef samosas have to be it!

TGIF!!

-K

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In our neighborhood, we usually have annual or bi/annual neighborhood get-togethers. One home volunteers to host the entire street for an afternoon of great company, catching up from our otherwise busy lives and also to indulge in some great food in community. Not to be picky, but their is this one home I never ever miss when they are the hosts. The lady of that home is called Violet but we call her Aunty Vio, because in Kenya, anyone who is not you mother is your aunt by default. Let me tell you, Aunty Vio can make one mean banquet. She does not joke around when it comes to hosting ; from the tender marinated meats, to the freshly baked moist cakes, to the array of fresh salads, and hearty starches. It would be mean to say I attend just for the food and not the company, LOL, but as a foodie, food is a huge part as to why I never miss out on the get-together when Aunty Vio is hosting. One of my favorite cakes that she usually bakes is her lemon poppy seed cake. She gets it right! From the texture and moistness of the cake, to the flavors, to the frosting. It is always a hit!! I make sure to get a huge slice each time and sneak some back home with me, in true Kenyan fashion, for post party indulgence. Do I sound greedy? Well, maybe I am :DD

With these memories as the back drop, I decided to make drop scones, one of my favorite breakfast recipes with a hint of  my favorite cake flavors. I substituted lemons for limes, but either way, they were super duper delicious. Can’t wait for you guys to try this out!!

PREP TIME :  5 MIN                         COOK TIME: 20 MIN                 SERVES: 3

Ingredients

1 cup of self raising flour

1 cup of mala (or plain yoghurt )

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

¼ a cup of blue poppy seeds

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon of lime zest

1 egg

Method

Beat the egg and the sugar for about 4-5 minutes or until it becomes frothy and turns pale yellow.

Then in a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (flour, nutmeg) then add this to the egg-sugar mix. I love the warmth of nutmeg in my drop scones. You can use cinnamon or cardamom in its place to which are just as warm ad aromatic as nutmeg. All three of these spices are available in our local supermarkets, so no excuse :))

Mix this in while adding your mala to it bit by bit until it becomes slightly thicker than yogurt but still heavy and sticky. Using mala instead of milk ensures your drop scones are fluffy. And no, they will not be sour. It is the same thing we used in this recipe and many others on the blog. You can use plain yogurt in its place too or buttermilk if you have some readily in the country you are reading this from. A small change, can make a huge difference. Trust me!

After it is all evenly distributed, fold in your poppy seeds and the lime zest. I did not have lemons at home but I had limes, so it was a definite perfect substitute. You can use any other citrus fruit too, oranges, grape fruit etc. As you are grating your rind, do not grate the white part. You only want the thin colored section. If you grate the white part, the drop scones will have a bitter taste and no one wants bitter drop scones.

As for my poppy seeds, I bought the ones by Naturally from Nakumatt at about 200 shillings a pack. I am sure they will last a lifetime & you can find them too in any other large supermarket too.

Once it is just mixed, you can begin your cooking. Do not over mix.

Add some vegetable oil to a small sufuria. Once it is hot enough, take spoonfuls of the dough with a table spoon and drop one at a time into the oil. A tablespoon may seem too little, but since we are using self raising flour, it will swell up as we cook. Do not take too much since it your scone will be too thick and fail to cook all the way through.

Allow each side to have 2 minutes until they turn golden brown then take from the heat.

Drain with a paper towel then serve. Dust them with some icing sugar or a drizzle with your favorite syrup and you are good to go. *pours tea into mug*

Breakfast being the first meal of the day, why not make it a grand party for your taste buds? If I could, I would make these lime poppy seed drop scones every single day. I especially loved how the taste and aroma of the lime was perfectly complimented by that of the nutmeg. The poppy seeds provided such a beautiful textural element and their nutritional benefits were an added plus!

Light, fluffy , delicious and so easy to make! I really couldn’t ask for more!

To good food and easy recipes,

-K <3

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I find it very amazing how our food cultures are very much globally intertwined. What we may think belongs exclusively to our nation, may actually in fact have it’s roots in another nation. Also, how one culture makes a certain thing could be prepared in a different way by another to achieve similar results. In Kenya for example, many of our dishes have their origins in India: chapati, dhania, chai, nearly all our masalas and as I recently discovered, achari. It definitely is prepared in different ways from region to region along the coast, but what it has in common is the pickling of lemons and or limes specifically in achari ya ndimu. Slow but sure culmination of flavors, achari ya ndimu, like wine, gets better with the passing of time. This is one of those condiments you do not rush. The longer it sits the better. I prepared mine over the course of last week and of course, added my own touch. Everything is always better with a touch of K! I encourage you to try our my achari ya ndimu and enjoy amazing taste together with your favorite meals.

PREP TIME: 30 MIN          MAKE TIME:4-6 DAYS

Ingredients

4 limes

4 lemons

1/2 a teaspoon of kez organics chili paste

1/2 a teaspoon of paprika

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

Salt to taste

Sprig of rosemary

Method

Slice your limes into slithers and place inside your jar. Some people simply slice them up into quarters, however, I like mine in smaller slimmer slithers so that Once it is easy, I can have a bite of each without having it overwhelm the dish I am having it with. Also, slicing then thinner allows their juices to seep out faster also makes them fit better in the jar.After your limes are in, add your spices into the jar.

Juice your lemons and mix in your chili paste with the resultant juice. I used Kez Organics chili paste, the same one we used here and here. It is a very potent paste and for me, a little goes a long way. I used 1/2 a teaspoon but you can always adjust the proportions to suit your preferences. Once mixed in, pour this into your jar and mix it in util evenly distributed.

Alternatively, you can use fresh chillies, slit them and add them to the jar so that the spicy flavors slowly diffuse into the achari.

Cover with a lid and allow to pickle for 4-7 days. Place it by the window or even outside where there is plenty of sunshine to facilitate the pickling process. It is currently so hot and sunny in Nairobi so it is time to make some achari. Mix it from time to time through out the day just to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Preserved lemons are prepared more or less the same way, only difference is for achari, we use juice from our citrus fruit instead of water and also, we add an array of spices to bump the flavors.

*** UPDATE : DAY TWO ***

The sauce had significantly thickened, but the flavors had not completely melded. I decided at this point to add a fresh herb, just to  give it a fuller more wholesome flavor and give it my own touch. I had basil in mind, however since I did not have some at hand, i used rosemary. Be adventurous and use different herbs: thyme, dill, coriander etc.

Enjoy.

This was unbelievable juicy. To be honest, I thought it would backfire. I loved the tang it had and the unexpected freshness brought about by the rosemary.

You can enjoy this with anything you prefer, Maybe together with you biryani, or as a side to your fried fish or as an accompaniment to your fries, potato wedges and roast potatoes. Of course, you have to enjoy achari ya ndimu with potatoes :P.

Make the most of the sunny days and prepare some achari. In my opinion, it is one of those things you must always have stocked in your fridge.

To many more

-K

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I love a dish that has a ton of character and flare to it. My triple D Drumsticks has to be one of those; Delicious. Daring. Dark. At triple dose of  juicy goodness in each meaty bite. Easy to make yet with such beautiful culmination of flavors, these drumsticks will change your life for ever! And you know when I say that, I actually mean it ;))

I was home alone while making these, and I gave you a sneak peak on my InstaStory mid last week. Lord God! These were really good! So many of you asked for the recipe, and the day is finally here that I get to share it with you. I was kinda broke but had to make enough so that when my sisters came back home they would a taste of my best drumstick recipe yet. Food is simply a lot more delicious when you can share it with people you love, is it not? Today, I give you this recipe, which I hope to bring you just as much joy. My Triple D Drumsticks are exactly how delicious chicken should taste like and made even more spectacular with a dark rich garlic stout BBQ sauce that has the most daring of all flavors. Buckle up! This will take you to the moon and back!

PREP TIME: 24 HOURS       COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES         MAKES:4 

Ingredients

For the marinade:

4 Drum sticks

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary)

4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

For the sauce

1 red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 cup of ketchup

3/4 cup of guinness stout

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 a tablespoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

Method

In a container, place your drum sticks and add all the marinade ingredients. Allow them to marinate for 24 hours or more in the fridge. Remember, the longer the marination period, the deeper and more intense the flavors shall be. This is marinade has just three ingredients, but go surprisingly well with chicken. Sometimes, less is more. It is the marinade recipe passed down from my mum to my sisters and I and I have stuck with it since. Mum knows best!

After you are done marinating the chicken, season the drumsticks by dipping them in a paste of these three spices: Black pepper, royco all spice and shalimar tikka masala (the same method we used here). After that, proceed to deep fry them until cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Now this is the part where we transform our drumsticks from good, to out-of-this-world FANTASTIC. The garlic-stout BBQ sauce we are about to make will change your entire existence FR!

For the sauce, add the red onions and garlic into a sauce pan and let them cook until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Then, add the ketchup, ,sugar, vinegar, cayenne pepper,worcestershire sauce, black pepper and Guinness Stout. Because Guinness has coffee-malt bitter undertones, the resultant sauce develops a delicious balanced smooth roastiness. Also, the dark color of the beer (which results from the intensely roasted barley) will make our BBQ sauce have a darker deeper color, not to mention a fuller more layered taste. When you make a sauce to accompany your meats, go all out. And if you use a beer, use the best, i.e Guinness stout, for the best results.

Cook this down for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and all the flavors come together. You can adjust the chili-sugar ratio to suit your taste and personal preferences. Once simmered down, add your drumsticks into the pot and let them simmer on low heat for about 5-7 minutes. The simmering down allows the flavors of the garlic stout BBQ sauce to meld with those of the seasoning of the chicken hence producing a more cohesive flavor profile as opposed to just slathering the sauce over the drumsticks.

Also, you can make this sauce and just keep it in your fridge for use in other dishes. I have a batch in my fridge too just for that purpose. You can use it in other meaty dishes to really bring out their savory flavor. Be it your nyamachoma/braai, goat ribs, or dry fries, my garlic stout BBQ sauce will give it the much needed flare.

Add your finely chopped coriander just before taking them from the heat. A fresh herb ties everything together so it is totally a must. You can use finely chopped parsley or chives for the same effect.

Now the only thing left to do is to shut out the entire world and eat all the drumsticks by yourself  share this awesome meal with people you love! Lets please take a moment and appreciate how awesome my Triple D Drumsticks look:

Why make boring chicken when you have the chance to make my very delicious drumsticks..and the best part for me, besides the actual eating and the explosive flavors, was how easy it was to make this.

The chicken was so so tender, and the marinade flavors sipped into every single strand of the flesh. The seasoning was beautifully complimented with the flavors of this amazingly layered, delicious sauce. The fresh coriander added some much needed freshness and tied it all together. Can you almost taste my drumsticks just by reading that paragraph? Well, that is the taste of Friday!

For your family, for your boyfriend or girlfriend just to treat them to a great meal, for your friends who are over for the weekend or maybe just for yourself, my Triple D Drum Sticks are THE plan for the weekend!!!

Delicious. Daring. Dark.

TGIF!!!

-K

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In most African homes, bananas are almost always present. They serve so many purposes, the main one being dessert. As an African child, whenever you craved something sweet while at home, you would be handed a banana to calm those cravings down. Going to school and had nothing to carry for break? Worry not, bananas were always there to save the day. Too hungry while you waited for supper/lunch that’s taking too long? Grab that banana. Going for a long trip and you’re reaching for something mom packed? Guess what you find first? Bananas. While I disliked that growing up, nowadays I snack on fruits since it was how we were raised. The best way! And despite bananas being among my least favorite fruits, I still find myself reaching for some when my rumbling tummy needs some soothing.

With only bananas at home and me craving something a bit indulgent, I decided to make a banana milkshake. But you know with me, something has to give. It is no ordinary one since I added a homemade salted caramel that’s so easy to make ant takes your banana milkshake from basic to fantastic!

PREP TIME: 5 MIN     MAKE TIME: 20 MIN     SERVES: 1

Ingredients

4 small bananas

400 ml of vanilla ice cream

½ a teaspoon of salt

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tablespoon of butter

Method

In a sufuria, place granulated sugar (or regular sugar) and heat it until it melts while continuously stirring. As the sugar melts, it will clump together, but it will all evenly melt as time goes by so don’t panic. It will go from white to off-white to a thick light brown syrupy liquid. Be very alert and be careful not to burn it.

Bit by bit, add your heavy cream stirring it in. Since the molten sugar is very hot and the heavy cream is at room temperature, anything added to the former will vigorously sizzle and splatter. Do not use heavy cream  that is just from your fridge since your caramel will solidify and we want it to remain liquid.  I bought my heavy cream from our everyday supermarket, the dairy section at about 200 shillings. I never use ingredients you can’t easily find. DO NOT USE MILK. Then once mixed in, add your butter and salt. After it has just mixed in, remove from the heat and set aside.

It will thicken as it cools down, but that id totally ok. It will not crystalize though. The beauty about salted caramel is that you can use it in almost anything. Maybe as a drizzle for your pancakes, or with freshly baked cinnamon rolls, or over fresh cake, cookies, cupcakes, name it! Today, it is a milkshake.

For the milkshake: In a blender, add your banana and ice cream. Blitz it until smooth. You can use any other fruit, but I personally like how bananas in particular taste with caramel. You can use any kind of banana but I find the sweet bananas best for milkshakes since they are naturally sweeter. Side note: What is the actual name for sweet bananas? :DD

In a mug, pour come of your salted caramel to the bottom. Fill the rest of the mug with the milkshake. Garnish with some fresh banana (or any other fruit or chocolate shavings if you have some) and some of the remaining salted caramel.

Gulp all this goodness down!

So easy to make yet so delicious! In usual K fashion!! No need to spend money searching for the good milkshakes in town when you can make the BEST right at home. And that is my salted caramel banana milkshake.

Layer after layer of unbelievable deliciousness! Perfect for sunny September when you are hosting friends during these hot afternoons. Or when you just want to treat yourself to something super tasty. Self love is very much encouraged ;)).

All that should be in your tummy right now :)). Treat yourself and your persons to my salted caramel banana milkshake.

Keep it sunny!

-K

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One of my favorite textural contrasts when it comes to food is having a mix of smooth and crunchy or soft and crunchy. It really does make the whole eating experience a lot more exciting. Eating is more than just to get full but also a dance of the senses. The more senses involved, the better the experience. For me, texture plays a key role in that.

For today’s recipe we shall be playing with crunchy and smooth textures. As part of Onja bloggers monthly posts, this month’s theme is texture.  An easy silky luxurious banana and coconut frozen yogurt recipe is what I have for you today, and of course in true K fashion, simple, but exploding with flavor

PREP TIME: 5 MIN               MAKE TIME: 5 MIN          SERVES: 2

Ingredients

1 small banana

3/4 cup of dessicated coconut

3/4 cup of coconut cream

400 ml of vanilla yogurt

3 tablespoons of honey

1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon

For garnish

Salted caramel (same one we made HERE)

Poppy seeds

Pumpkin seeds

NOTE: For garnish, you can use any other nut even berry if you please. This recipe is not cast in stone and is very much adaptable to your own taste.

Method

Peel your banana and slice it into your bowl. Mash it up with a fork and add your cinnamon and mix it all in.  Cinnamon adds just the right kick and will compliment the taste of the banana and the coconut. Sweet dish = sweet spice. I am all for experimentation but do not add garlic powder or cayenne and start saying this recipe is bad LOL. I repeat, sweet dish = sweet spice. Set aside. You can also use a food processor if you are making larger quantites. A fork works just as well when you are making smaller quantities.

Combine your coconut cream with your dessicated coconut and mix it all up until totally distributed. Then, add both the banana mixture and coconut mixture into the bowl containing your vanilla yogurt and mix it all in. I used store bought dessicated coconut but if you have fresh coconut, even better.

Allow to set in the freezer and once solidified to the degree of your liking, serve and garnish with your poppy seeds and pumpkin seeds. You can use any other nut that can serve the purpose of adding a great textural contrast. For a pop of color, you can also add some fresh berries. To my garnish I also added my very delicious homemade salted caramel. Check out how to make it here.

My coconut and banana frozen yogurt is a healthier option to ice cream and more wholesome with the addition of nuts and fruit. When you get that sweet food craving, just give in, but for it the healthy way.  Perfect textural contrast: silky smooth and crunch. Check out this other post where we put our poppy seeds into use.

And after our thorough indulgence in the past weeks with cheesy samosas and my triple D drumsticks, let us a little bit kind to our bodies, yes? :DD

Keep it sweet!

-K

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After posting my Triple D drumsticks, and the amazing buzz it created online, EVERYONE just couldn’t wait to try that recipe out. And majority just wished they could simply appear infront of them. My elder sister, Sieva, who was away for work sent me a quick message telling me she would love to have those when she came back home after seeing them on my Facebook page. Since I couldn’t make that particular recipe at the time, I decided to work on my next bomb Guinness recipe which she would feast upon: my chicken bacon knockout burger. Growing up with siblings, when there is something tasty you are planning to feast upon, you have to hide it so that no one else eats it. I forgot to hide Sieva’s  burger and sure enough, my other sister Kadesa ate it. I should have recorded the look on her face when she sank her teeth into it…priceless! Burger ecstasy! And a stamp of approval for another aced recipe!

These burgers have everything you could ever want in the perfect burger: a moist patty, lots of cheese, a rich unique sauce and of course, bacon. Can you handle this knock out ;))? You better!

PREP TIME: 10 MIN               COOK TIME: 30 MIN        MAKES: 4

Ingredients:

For the patty:

400 g of minced chicken

1 tablespoon of black pepper

2 tablespoons of garlic powder

1/2 a cup of finely chopped spring onion

1/2 a tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary

1/2 a cup of Guinness stout

Other ingredients

Garlic stout bbq sauce (we made HERE)

250 g of rindless bacon

Fresh lettuce

Burger buns

Fresh tomato slices

Cheddar cheese slices

Method

In a pan, cook your bacon until it totally renders and is nice and crispy. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside. Collect the bacon fat that remains in the pan which we shall use later. This burger is all about building flavors and this will play a huge role.

In a bowl, add your minced chicken followed by your Guinness stout. This should be immediately followed by your finely chopped spring onion, rosemary, garlic powder and black pepper. The dark color that the Guinness stout beer inherently has will make the chicken darken in color as well. It will also add much needed moisture and depth of flavor to our minced chicken breast.

Allow this to marinate for 20-30 min. Because the chicken is already minced, the marination time is not that long since plenty of the surface area is already exposed and flavors penetrate a lot faster. However, if your chicken is not minced, you can allow it to marinate for 24 hours or more them mince it just before you cook. For a burger, I prefer having mine minced. Whichever butcher you go to, select your chicken breast and request them to mince it for you, they will always gladly help :))

After your marination time has lapsed, scoop some of the minced chicken and shape it with your hands into 1/2 inch thick patties. On a pan, drizzle the bacon fat and heat it then place the patties to cook. The chicken patties will absorb flavors of the bacon via the fat used to cook  them making the burger have a more cohesive taste and fantastic flavor build up. They cook through pretty fast, about 5 minutes.

The time taken to cook through will of course vary according to the thickness of your patties. After the patties have an even sear on both sides add your cheese slices and allow them to melt over the bun using the heat of your pan. Once done, remove from heat.

Begin layering your chicken bacon knockout burger:

Slice your bun and place your lettuce first. I like having  my lettuce at the bottom since it prevents the sauce from soaking into the bun making it soggy.

Next, our very delicious garlic stout bbq sauce. Remember that is the same sauce we made for our Triple D drumsticks? I told you I always have a batch in my fridge and this is one of those times we have to use it. Once again, this is all about flavor build up. The same deep stout flavor that the chicken patty has is the same flavor that the garlic stout sauce has. Everything is tied together deliciously and very cohesive.

After your sauce, add your pattie, followed by tomato slices then your crispy bacon and finally, the top bun.

Ever wondered what happiness looks like? This is it!! Sometimes all you need to complete your week is one good juicy, delicious, burger. And this weekend, it should MUST be my chicken bacon knock out burger.

Thank Guinness It’s Friday!!!!!!

-K

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Over the past month, my body has been feeling very lethargic. I stopped exercising and that is not something I am proud to admit. Despite being relatively tiny, exercise and clean eating is still very important. And when my body started slowing down, I knew exactly what it needed and what was missing: More fruits more vegetables, and daily exercise even just a little bit. Someone once told me I do not need to exercise or eat clean because my very high metabolism keeps me slim. But exercise and clean eating is not about loosing weight only (one of the many peculiar beliefs of Kenyans), but more about feeling good and having your body perform in its best possible state. Yes, it is ok to indulge once in a while coz YOLO, and it is also ok to cut back and show your body some love. To do that, I made a really refreshing green smoothie: my thorn melon and apple green smoothie that has become one of my favorites! I just had to share the recipe with you and hope your body will enjoy it as well. Cheers!!

PREP TIME: 5 MIN       MAKE TIME:5 MIN      MAKES:2

Ingredients

1 thorn melon

1/2 a tablespoon of grated ginger

1/2 a tablespoon of orange zest

3 tablespoons of honey

1 green apple

1 cucumber

50g of plain yoghurt

Method

Add your plain yoghurt into the blender. If you prefer not to have any dairy as any people opt to these days, you can use coconut milk. Slice your thorn melon and core it into the blender too.

Thorn melon looks exactly as the name insinuates. It has a thorny rind dark green at maturity and bright orange when ripe. To me, it has almost no taste, but some people describe it as bitter. These little thorny fruit also have a ton of nutritional benefit such as being an anti oxidant, iron and vitamin C powerhouse, boosts metabolism , managing diabetes and promoting better eye sight.

Slice your apple and cucumber add these into the blender. I used green apples since I wanted my smoothie to have a really fresh feel and green apples are perfect for this. Cucumber also has that same quality, together with multiple B vitamins, vitamin K (see what I did there ;))  and a ton of other minerals. Add your grated ginger and orange zest and blitz it for about a minute. The ginger and orange zest are key ingredients for adding deeper more layered flavors but also very nutritious. The ginger has anti inflammatory qualities while orange zest has plenty of vitamin C. Go easy with the ginger though, a little goes a long way.

Stop and taste the smoothie and decide how much honey, if at all, you would like to add to the smoothie. I added three table spoons. Honey, besides being a sweetening agent and a substitute for sugar, has plenty of nutritional benefits. From honey, you get plenty of anti oxidants and anti bacterial fueled into your body.

After another minute of blitzing, pour this into your glass and drink up!

Easy to prepare and so refreshing to have. You body deserves a little break sometimes. I will definitely make it a habit of having my thorn melon and apple smoothie every now and then. It is so refreshing and very filling. It is excellent as breakfast too, or as part of your breakfast if you cannot get full on a smoothie alone. I know I can’t LOL.

The taste of the ginger and subtle orange went so well together and make the flavors of the apple and cucumber come alive. The thorn melon is very fresh and its seeds add some texture to the smoothie. If there is a smoothie you have to try out, this is it.

What are your favorite green smoothie ingredients? How do you like your smoothies? Let me know in the comments below :))

-K

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You know you are officially an adult when receiving vegetable deliveries excite you LOL. I wanted to work on some new recipes but I was too lazy to leave home and do my own shopping. Ain’t no one got time or energy for the walking in the excruciating October heat. And in such instances, veggie delivery is the way to go. I was so thrilled to received my veggies, courtesy of Fresh Pro. Just one phone call away and  I had all I needed and more: cabbages, eggplant, tomatoes, apples, managu (my fave!!), egg plant, dhania, lettuce etc.

I have been craving some good egg plant for the longest time. Just a note: I am talking about the real egg plant :DD. And I was more than happy to have some in my Fresh Pro delivery. With that, along with courgettes that were in the crate, I decided to make veggie ‘meatballs’. What a paradox that is: veggie meatballs. Who says you can’t enjoy your veggies just as you do your meat?? Ready to have something different with a touch of K? Here we go!!

PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES         COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES     SERVES:3

Ingredients

1 cup of bread crumbs

1 egg

1 egg plant

2 courgettes

4 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of mixed spices

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 small green bell pepper

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

2 tomatoes, grated

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 a teaspoon of cumin seeds

1 teaspoon of tomato paste

Finely chopped coriander

Cheddar cheese, optional

Method

Slice your egg plant and courgette and grill them until they are cooked through.

Egg plant and courgette have really high water content so it is best to pat them dry before proceeding to cook. It will make the rolling process or the veggie meatballs a lot more easier and make them hold together better.

Slice your hoho very finely and add these three together with the egg, breadcrumbs and the spices. Run these through a food processor until completely mixed. Transfer this into a bowl and allow to cool for minimum 30 minutes so that rolling them is easier.

After this time has lapsed, roll them into your balls and fry them until they turn golden brown. Then set aside. For this particular recipe, breadcrumbs and egg are mandatory since they allow the balls to hold up better. Unlike actual meatballs, these do not have any fat which makes them very easy to come apart. Be very gentle with these.

In a pan, add your whole cumin seeds and cook them until they are fragrant. I bought my cumin seeds from the supermarket and they cost about 60 shillings a pack. They add flavor to the oil which will in turn add flavor in the entire dish. Please do not judge me by the state of my dry hands :DD, it was a long day haha!

Add the finely chopped red onion. After about 3 minutes, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and turmeric and allow this to cook down for about 5 minutes.

Add the veggie ‘Meatballs’ and let them simmer on low heat so that all the flavors meld. If you have your cheese, you can add it at this point. After about 15 minutes, remover from the heat, garnish with your freshly chopped coriander and serve.

No meat? No problem! You can make these bomb veggie ‘meatballs’ with some egg plant, courgette with the delicious flavor of whole cumin. Who are those who say egg plant is boring??!

Whether you are taking a break from eating meat or removed it completely from your diet, you can still enjoy delicious food. Do give my cumin and eggplant veggie ‘meatballs’ a try :))

Happy Friday

-K

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This past Sunday was the premier of Coke Studio Africa’s fourth season. With the success of the past seasons and the roller coaster of excitement they were, I had to follow this season from the get go. With some passion fruit drizzled vanilla ice cream in tow, my youngest sister and I were sitted at 8 p.m. sharp. Phones almost away, singing, dancing, having our very own concert right at home only taking breaks to critique performances and finish our ice cream. She is a Sauti Sol die hard. Believe me, Kuliko Jana constantly plays at home. It is her song. And Sauti Sol are her band. And them being part of the premier episode was just more reason for her to tune in. We enjoyed it! I hope you tuned in too and had a ball!

This season is all about discovery. Discovery of new music. Discovery of new artists, new sounds, new cultures. Being the foodie I am, I took this upon myself to make it discovery of new foods. Each month I will be doing a fusion dish, melding 3 cultures together, based on the countries performing on Coke Studio. This month’s dish is a fusion of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzanian flavors; which culminated in my glorious sweet chili mbuzi choma rolex. You are going to love this!!

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES       COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES        MAKES: 2

Ingredients

1 chapati

2 eggs

Mbuzi choma ( roast goat meat), 1 cup, finely chopped

1 red onion

2 tomatoes

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

5 dates, cored and finely chopped

1 bunch of coriander

Method

On a plate, place your cooked chapati. This is the base of all other ingredients and core to making a rolex. Chapati is very much a Kenyan dish, but just as other cultural aspects spill beyond borders, so does food culture. Chapati is just as Tanzanian and Ugandan as it is Kenyan. I would call it an East African dish; glorious flat bread that we have in common and love so much.

In a pan, add some vegetable oil and heat it. To this, add your whisked eggs. Before it sets, sprinkle some chopped tomatoes. You can add any other vegetable: onions, hoho, mushrooms etc, just as you prefer or according to what you have at hand. Cook your omelette until done and then add it on top of the chapati.

For your meat, I used mbuzi choma ribs since that is what I had at hand. All I did was to strip all the flesh from the meat and finely chop it. You can certainly use any other cut or roast meat of choice. This is also a genius way you can transform your left over choma ;)). Mbuzi choma is a so beloved in Kenya and is central to most celebratory occasions. From weddings, to Christmas parties to weekend drives out of town, Mbuzi choma is usually ever present.

After your meat is chopped up, proceed to the frying. Add some finely chopped red onion and garlic and let it cook until fragrant. Add your tomatoes the cayenne pepper and let this cook down for about 2 minutes. Add your very finely chopped meat and the dates and let these two cook together for about  5-7 minutes. For this dish, dates are the touch of Tanzania. The dates are a lot more common in TZ than they are in Kenya. I saw how they creatively use them in their cooking, Including baking bread with them!! Since I wanted my meat of have sweet chili flavors, I used dates, instead of honey (which is a substitute btw) to achieve that. I did not add salt since it was left over and was already salted prior.

Once the meat is done, add this over the  egg, making the third layer. Looks so delicious already!!

Add some cheddar cheese, for more depth and coriander for some freshness. This elevates it from basic level to K level!!!

Then, with a firm grip, roll the chapati, folding everything within it. Then slice in half and there you have it!! Dig in!!

Rolexes are a very Ugandan thing. They may not be popular everywhere else, but I think they should be all the rage!! With my fusion sweet chili mbuzi choma rolex, this will have you hooked. A taste of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania all on one magnificent bite! So easy to make and absolutely unforgettable.

You can be as creative as you like with a rolex, go beyond having just chapati and an omelette. Feel free to play around with different flavors and combinations. But before that, you MUST experience the ecstasy that comes with my sweet chilli mbuzi choma rolex. Juicy. Cheesy. Meaty. Just how I like it, and I bet you would like it too.

Did you watch the premier episode of Coke Studio Sn.4? What did you like most? Which cuisines are you eager to discover and experience and the season goes on? Let me know in the comments below :))

To fantastic food and great music,

-K

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October has this magic about it. It’s brilliantly sunny days, warm nights and breathtaking jacaranda blossoms enveloping Nairobi make this one of my favorite months. With all these aspects all in one month, this makes it perfect for picnics! What better way to enjoy great weather, appreciate beautiful blossoms and enjoy great company than with fantastic food? My friends and I decided to do just that by hosting a get-together picnic.  Each person was meant to bring a dish of their choice. I decided to make one of two meat dishes: my passion fruit marinated honey pork chops. I was so thrilled with the results and this is one recipe I just had to share with you guys. The passion fruit marinade was so perfect for this! I could hardly keep it together while taking the pictures. I almost ate it all before leaving for the actual picnic LOL! I hope this recipe unleashes one hell of a party on your taste buds as it did on mine!

PREP TIME: THREE DAYS     COOK TIME:40 MIN   SERVES: 3

Ingredients

1.75 kg of pork chops

Guinness stout beer

5 tablespoons of honey

1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary

1/2 a tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper seeds

2 passion fruit

Salt to taste

Method

Place your pork chops in a bowl. Add your crushed black pepper, honey, rosemary, passion fruit and finely chopped garlic and ginger. Rub that over your pork until well distributed.

After that add your Guinness stout. You ideally want your meat to be fully submerged in the beer so that the flavor infusion is maximum. For my 1.75 kg of pork ribs, one bottle was adequate. Not only will the beer infuse deeper flavor to the pork but will also supply much needed moisture that will keep your pork nice and juicy.

I added passion fruit to this marinade because I wanted to introduce a sweet element to this marinade besides the honey. Sweet flavors go SO WELL with pork, as I pointed out HERE. Another plus of using passion fruit is that it’s mild acidity will help tenderize the pork as it marinates. If you do not have passion fruit, you can use pineapple, oranges or any sweet acidic fruit.

Cover with a lid and allow the meat to marinate. Remember, the longer the meat marinates, the deeper and more intense the flavors will be. I marinated my pork chops for 3 days and it was totally worth it in the end. Remember, if you are marinating for periods longer than 6 hours, keep your meat refrigerated.

After the marination time has lapsed, pace your pork chops on a baking tray lines with some foil. Add about a cup of the marination mixture to it. Cover with a perforated foil and place this in the oven preheated at 180 for about 20 minutes. The perforated foil will allow any excess steam to escape. It will also allow moisture to be retained and avoid excess splattering.

After that, drain any excess liquid, and return the pork chops to the oven, this time without the perforated foil cover.

This is so that the pork can get a nice golden brown crispy exterior. This will take about 5 minutes. Note: If you do not have an oven, you can use a grill or pan fry the pork chops until you achieve similar results. Once they have browned to perfection, dig in!!

Browned to perfection and with such a full deep fruity flavor which is beautifuly complimented by that of the beer. You can taste the sweetness of the honey and that of the passion fruit and these two are perfectly enhanced by the ginger and garlic. Perfect sear and perfect flavors!!

If you are crazy about pork just as I am, this is one recipe you MUST try. Make some of my passion fruit marinated honey pork chops, gather some of your buddies and go to the great outdoors and soak in some October heat over fantastic food. You can check our my other pork recipes HERE and HERE

Here’s to your next addiction!

-K

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I have been loviing myself some really savory and indulgent meals lately. Not that it is wrong to indulge, but you know, things get soooooo good when you are eating those rich indulgent foods and it completely sucks you in!!! You find your self wanting to eat only really indulgent meals. You go from one more burger bite, to greedily eating two more. Don’t judge me btw, greed is a real thing LOL! Then after your two burgers are sitting in your stomach and you are basking in the after glow of phenomenal flavors, health guilt sets in. What is health guilt you ask? It is that voice that reminds you to stop eating like an idiot and balance the clean with the indulgent. Since I know in my hearts of hearts I will never be one to live on only raw veggies (God bless those who do), what I will do is balance. A bit of indulgence and a bit of clean; because life is all about balance right?

I love my carrots and I made this fast carrot dish that brings out all it’s great qualities. Healthy does not have to be boring though, and my carrot fingers have all the flavor you will need for this lifetime and the next.

PREP TIME: 10 MIN                COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES              SERVES:4

Ingredients

5 large carrots (or 10 baby carrots)

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons of coriander stalks

1 tablespoon of butter

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

coriander leaved for garnish.

Method

Peel your carrots and chop them into finger sized slices. Place them in a steamer and steam them until they are soft on the outside but still firm on the inside. If you pass a toothpick, it should not go all the way through. You do not want them soggy since they will be cooked once more in the next stage. If you do not have a steamer, you can boil your carrot fingers keenly watching over them for not to over boil.

As that is going, add the butter to your pan and melt it, add the ginger, coriander stalks, finely chopped red onion and allow it to cook until softened.

Some of you may be wondering why I am using coriander stalks, and I ask back, why not? :)). Compared to the leaves, coriander stalks have a more assertive flavor, making then beautiful ingredient as part of a base together with onions. They also do not completely wilt away like leaves would when sauteed hence their taste can still be well detected long after cooking.

They are also particularly good with cereal stews such as beans, njahi and ndengu, in githeri and make samosa filling a lot more delicious especially when used together with spring onion  and your favorite meat filling. Please! Please! Do not discard your coriander stalks. Only get rid of the roots. If you cannot use the stalks at any  given moment, you can chop them up and freeze them then take then out when you need to add a touch of magic to your meal. :))

Once your carrots are cooked but still slightly crunchy, add them to the pan with the onions, coriander stalks and rosemary.

Add your finely chopped rosemary and them toss everything until well distributed. Let this stay on the heat for not more than 2 minutes since we want to preserve the crunch of the carrots. Once you are done, grab a fork and stuff yourself!!

Light, easy to make but still delivers on flavor! Those are my kind of dishes!!!! Healthy does not have to be boring!! Especially with all the fresh herbs we have in our country, really we have no excuse.  The ginger complemented the inherent sweetness of the carrots beautifully. You can also add garlic to this and umplify the flavors further.

My ginger rosemary carrot fingers would make a beautiful veg dish on your table. One that you know for sure people will enjoy and will get cleared in seconds. Remember we talked about balancing the clean and the indulgent? My carrot fingers make a perfect candidate for the clean one. I would have my carrot fingers with viazi karai and my Triple D drumsticks. Or have them with my meatball tikka masala and some fried rice. Or better yet, some ginger rosemary carrot fingers with mbuzi meatball mshikaki and creamy mashed potatoes. Balance. Delicious balance!

What would you serve this with keeping in mind balance between indulgent and klean?

Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Tuesday!

-K

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The past week had been a huge adventure!!!! We first visited Anfield in Liverpool for a live Liverpool vs Manchester United match courtesy of Guinness. The next two days we spent in Dublin, Ireland which has become one of my favorite places to be. Besides the genuinely nice people, I loved getting immersed in the history of the city which is well preserved and proudly shown off. This too was the case at the Guinness Storehouse where we managed to learn the history of Guinness beer, its introduction into various markets, especially the Kenyan one, how the beer is brewed and various foods that can be prepared with the brew. What struck me was how seamlessly Guinness can be used to bring out flavors in both sweet and savory dishes; something most beers cannot really emulate.

I was telling my younger sister about my Dublin adventures and she was particularly curious by how an assertive beer would taste in a sweet dish. I decided to give her a taste and she was absolutely blown away with how delicious my minty strawberry posset, laced with Guinness was. She is such a sweet tooth, and this dessert completely won her over to team Guinness!! It was over in minutes!!! And that is always a good sign as to how good the dish tastes. This sweet chilled treat is perfect for sunny Nairobi. So easy to make and unforgettable to have!

PREP TIME: 15 MIN                       MAKE TIME: 2 HOURS                  MAKES: 1

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh strawberries

4 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of finely chopped mint

3 tablespoons of Guinness Stout

200 g of double cream

Method

Slice your strawberries and blend them together with the mint until they are completely pureed. Set this aside. In the event you do not have strawberries, you can use lemons or limes. I think you can use any fruit, but those that have a degree of acidity work best.

In a sauce pan, add your double cream. I bought my double cream from Nakumatt and I am certain you can also find some too in any large supermarket. To the double cream, add your granulated sugar and three tablespoons of Guinness. The Guinness will slightly darken the color of your cream but it works wonders on amplifying the sweet flavors! Guinness has inherent sweetness as a result of the malt, and this is complimented and brought out well with the sweetness of the sugar and the creme.

Allow this to simmer for about 4 minutes, then add your pureed strawberries. I added mint to this and it made the favor a lot more profiled and delicious. Let it simmer for 2 more minutes then remove from the heat.

Ladle this into a goblet and a lot to solidify in your freezer for about 2 hours or until set. The time taken for it to set will of course vary according to your quantities.

Once set, garnish with more fresh strawberries and a couple of fresh mint leaves to tie everything together and serve.

Nothing makes eating a great dessert even better than knowing you can make it right at home and within a short amount of time!! I would definitely love it if I came home to this beautiful chilled sweet minty strawberry posset after an afternoon in the intense Nairobi heat.

We have done savory dishes with Guinness; such as these drumsticks and this mouth watering burger. Now let us get into the sweet. Guinness can bring out flavors in both sweet and savory dishes, something other beers cannot replicate.

This is my second posset recipe. You can check out my first one HERE.

Dare to do something different and open your mind up to new exciting things! The amount of dishes that can be prepared with Guinness are infinite! I hope you join me on this journey of experimentation and you trulywill surprise yourself with  the magic you will create in your kitchen!

To new discoveries!

To delicious food!

To sunny days!

-K

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The worst emotion that you could ever be at the mercy of is Hangry! Being hungry makes me super irritable. And the absolute worst is being Hangry, being in the hot sun and at the same time thinking about your adulting problems. Hunger just amplifies all those feelings. Suddenly you start thinking about those deadlines that are coming at you like a massive tsunami and bills you need to pay. Suddenly you remember that text that bae selectively chose not to respond to. Hunger can really stir up emotions! But thank God, when we are in need of a quick meal, street food is always there to rescue us!

I was Kraving some bhajia the entire day yesterday, and when the kraving kalls, you have to heed.  I kept you in on my bhajia hunt yesterday afternoon on my Instagram story under the series #KaluhisKravings. Thanks to Safaricom 4G, I was able to document it all without any hitches and with the little airtime I had. After a quick bhajia lunch from Diamond Plaza and my soul literally calmed down. I loved it so much, I decided to give this a #K twist and that led to my spectacular Lemon bhajia Masala.

The bhajia I had yesterday at Diamond plaza were delicious, but I felt the sauce may have been better if it had more defined and deeper flavor. The upgrade of what I had yesterday is based on that.

So lets get right to it!

PREP TIME:               COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES         SERVES: 3

Ingredients:

6 potatoes

1/2 a cup of garam flour (chick pea flour)

Finely chopped coriander

8 cloves of garlic

1 sprig of rosemary

For the masala sauce

Finely chopped red onion

Fresh coriander for garnish

2 grated tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1/2 a teaspoon of kez organics chili paste

1/2 a teaspoon of cumin

1/2 a teaspoon of paprika

1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 a tablespoon of black pepper

Salt to taste

1/2 a lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

Method

In a pan, add your red onion, allow it to cook down until softened. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, the spices, soy sauce and the chili paste and a small bit of hot water and allow this to simmer on low heat for about 5-10 minutes so that all the flavors combine.

It should look like this after it is done. Give it a taste and adjust the spices as you prefer. If you want it to be be really hot, always add more chili paste. I like Kez Organics chili paste since it is really potent and a little goes a long way. You can also use fresh chili and adjust it according to your preference.

Just before switching it off, add some lemon juice and mix it in.

Once done, turn off the heat and get to the bhajia.

Peel your potatoes and put them to boil together with the rosemary and garlic but not all the way through. Most people do not boil their potatoes for the bhajia, but I boil mine since this is how the garlic and rosemary flavor infuse into the potatoes. This would not be possible for raw potatoes. Once done, slice them into 1/4 inch  slices and set aside.

In a container, add your garam flour (chick pea flour), and mix this all up until it has the consistency of thick yogurt. Add the water bit by bit so that you do not make the batter to watery. Remember- bit by bit.  If your batter is too light, it will not stick to the potatoes. Add your finely chopped coriander once the ideal consistency of the batter is attained.

Place your sliced potatoes into the batter and coat them. Heat some vegetable oil and allow them to cook until the exterior is crispy. Once done,allow excess oil to drain then proceed to add them to the masala sauce.

Toss the bhajia in the masala sauce and garnish with some more fresh coriander.

Dig in!!

This is one of the tastiest upgrade you will ever have for our everyday Bhajia! Saucey, spicy, zesty bhajia with deep flavors. You can literally taste everything; note by note- from the chili, to  the zesty lemon to the softness of the fresh cumin. I loved it all!!!

I hope to do more food adventures and I know with Safaricom 4G, that is very much possible! I hope you guys too switched to 4G, so that you can watch my videos stress free under the #KaluhisKravings series without buffering. If not, what are you waiting for?!! I also am so glad it is not as expensive as I though it would be and way more efficient than 3G, so cheers to more Insta Stories!!!

Don’t you just want to have some of this today??! This would be unbelievably delicious with my Triple D drumsticks and some coleslaw. Or some fish fingers together with a mango salad with passion fruit syrup!

Don’t forget to get your very own summarized downloadable copy of my lemon bhajia masala from the download tab below. Actually, get on Safaricom 4G and  download all summarized copies of my recipes without struggle! Make it a habit to eat good food! You deserve it :))

Much love,

-K

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If you went to a boarding school in high school, you understand how important those occasional outings were! We called them ‘funkies’ back in my day, and we scrambled to be on the bus whenever each one came. It was a breath of fresh air to be in a different environment and meet new people and of course, mingle with cute boys. The two main funkies that had a sequence of events were Drama festivals in the first term and music festivals second term. I was all in during drama festivals. Besides all the fun activities, I also lived for eating good food especially considering my school, Precious Blood Riruta, banned most junk food.

As girls, most boys just bought us food. I guess as an ice breaker, but we knew they knew it was the best way to get our attention. Yes, we were shamelessly greedy. I loved Lenana School (or Changes as we used to call it) because they had a wide variety of snacks they had. I especially loved their Combi, which is basically a combination of a filling of choice inside a maandazi. At the end of the funkie, we would anticipate receiving mail from our crushes and since most of us did not have mobile phones while in school. Times have changed and now, our crushes are just a call away. Just a message away. And with a strong network such as Safaricom 4G, days of waiting for mail to hear form our crushes are long behind us! Each time I have a sausage pasua in town, I get major throwback of the good ol days! This recipe was inspired by my favorite high school period as and one of my favorite Kravings I indulge in when hunger strikes, but ofcourse with a touch of K!

PREP TIME: 15 MIN        COOK TIME: 25 MIN           MAKES: 2

Ingredients:

1 large maandazi

Fresh coriander

For the sausage pasua

2  beef sausages

2 tomatoes

1/2 a red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of finely chopped dhania

1/2 a lemon

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Salt to taste

***

‘Pasua’ is a swahili word for split. A sausage pasua, in direct translation, means sausage split. In the split, a filling of choice is added to make this even more savory. Usually Kachumbari, but I  have a twist of my own :))

***

For the Turmeric chicken

1 cup of chopped left over chicken

1/2 a lemon, juiced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves

1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric

1 teaspoon of mixed spices

1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of Kez organics chili paste

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Method

In a pan fry your sausages until browned and crispy. Set aside. Do not discard the fat as that is what we will be using to fry the chicken. Remember, this is all about building of flavors, so this step does come in handy.

In the same pan, add your finely chopped red onion, garlic, rosemary and let this cook until softened. After that add your shredded chicken, the spices, chili paste tomato paste with a tiny bit of water and let this cook down until everything is completely combined and well melded.

This will take 5-8 minutes. Just before taking it form the heat, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice, give it one more minute on the heat then take it off. This awakens all the flavors that come together in this dish.

Prepare your kachumbari. I like mine with plenty of fresh flavors and not just onion and tomato. It MUST have flavor!!! I make mine with tomatoes, onions, fresh dhania, a splash of fresh lemon juice, freshly crushed black pepper (pre-ground pepper is ok too) and salt to taste. Sometimes I add a tiny bit of fresh ginger too.

We live in a country where its easy to source fresh ingredients at cheap prices, lets celebrate that in our food!!

Now that everything is ready, it is time to assemble out combi: Take your maandazi and slit one side. Add your turmeric chicken first, followed by your fresh coriander.

Slit your sausage and in the cavity, fill it with your kachumbari, making your sausage pasua. Place the sausage pasua making the top layer of the filling.

Make room in your tummy and get ready for a party on your taste buds!!!

This is one hell of a combination! The turmeric chicken elevated this to another level! This is not your ordinary combi! This is a Kombi!!! Now you know what you should be doing to your left over chicken :)))

I honestly did not think my very little airtime would last during the time I was doing my insta story for this segment. But it did!! Switching to 4G gave me faster speeds and is still cost effective. My money starved pocket did not get hurt? Are you on 4G? If not, what are you waiting for?!! You need to watch my insta story without excessive buffering and loading. Think this is too good to be true, well you deserve it! Watch a compilation of my InstaStory from the video below. Don’t Wait! Do things Safaricom 4G!!

But now, let as appreciate the beauty of this combi!

I hope you give this a try! You will not regret it! A beautiful twist to a Kenyan favorite street food.

Happy Friday!!

-K

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I love a good brunch dish. One that is so rich, and so flavorful and one that literally sings to the deepest part of your soul. My friend Soni always says, brunch is not a time of day, but an experience. And I have to say, I agree with her. She loooooves brunch, and really takes in every moment and savors all the delicious things that most brunch banquets have to offer. A little bit of sweet. A little bit of savory. For me, during most brunches, I find myself gravitating more towards the sweet. Considering tomorrow is another glorious weekend, and most of us will be sleeping in. It would be an absolute delight to have something very delicious to wake up to! I have always loved crepes, because they double as both a breakfast dish and a dessert dish and no way to bring this together than in this brunch dish! A word of caution though: My caramelized cinnamon banana stuffed crepes may just end up being one of your top addictions!

PREP TIME:  10 MIN         MAKE TIME:  30 MIN     SERVES: 2

Ingredients

For the crepes

1 cup of  all purpose flour

1 cup of milk

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice cream and Strawberries for garnish

For the stuffing

3 tablespoons of Guinness

1 tablespoon of butter

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

3 bananas

Method

With a mixer, beat your egg and the sugar. Beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add your flour, vanilla extract and milk until the batter has the consistency of yogurt. You ideally want your crepes really light so that the bite of the final dish does not become too overwhelming or heavy.

Ladle the batter on a pan and cook the crepes until golden brown. Set aside.

For the stuffing, place the butter in a pan together with brown sugar and cinnamon. Add your bananas and let them cook for about 2 minutes. After that add the three tablespoons of Guinness and the lemon zest.

Lemon zest is particularly important in providing balance to this stuffing since it cuts through the sweetness of the banana and the sugar. The mild acidity makes the flavor more complex without which this may lean more towards being cloyingly sweet. By lemon zest I mean the grated rind of a lemon. You can also use oranges or limes or this dish.

Let this cook down for about 5 to allow the alcohol to burn off and make it more caramelized. Just to point out, you cannot get drunk when you cook with an alcoholic beverage. Do you guys remember what we learnt in Chemistry while in high school about liquid boiling points? Alcohol has a very low boiling point. This means, it burns off during the initial stages of cooking. What is left behind is the stout taste, which is exactly what we are after. So do not shy away from this :)). Once all the flavors meld remove the caramelized bananas from the heat and set aside.

Fold your crepes into quarters and stuff them with the bananas.

Scoop your favorite ice cream over the crepes and scatter some fresh strawberries. Now, the part we have all been waiting for is here!!! Time to eat!

We all have that go to guilty pleasure when we want something rich, sweet and indulgent. For me, this is definitely it!!!

The banana’s sweetness is enhanced and complimented by the taste of the chocolate and balanced out by the zestiness of the lemon. The dark color of the Guinness stout beer darkens the color of the filling but also enhances the overall flavor profile by making it more complex and more layered. This is so perfect for brunch!!

Tomorrow being Saturday, my caramelizes banana stuffed crepes are the plan!!!! Whether it will be rainy and you want a cozy brunch indoors or it will be sunny and you want a breezy outdoorsy brunch, this is perfect either way :))

Don’t hold back!!! Indulge! You only live once!

TGIF!!

-K

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I was walking towards our bus stage with my friend one hot humid afternoon after running some errands. We were both quite tired and the heat was not making it any easier. With everything we set out to do complete, all was left to do was to get a meal. And when I am hungry, that is all that occupies my mind. I try as much as possible not to go into a supermarket when hungry, since I end up buying things I do not even like to eat or end up binging of sweet things that I normally wouldn’t have a stomach for. On this particular day however, only one thing was on my mind: fish. I love fish! And for me, that would be the perfect way to end my day and unwind. I quickly made my way to the nearest fish vendor and bought myself some tilapia then rushed home. My Kraving resulted in this very delicious, mind-numbingly good chili coconut tilapia masala. Perfect marriage of flavor; very unexpected, but so delicious!

Proceed with caution though, because my tilapia masala can very easily turn into a very real addiction.

PREP TIME: 15 MIN                 COOK TIME: 30 MIN                  SERVES: 1

Ingredients

1 250g tilapia, deep fried

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, minced

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 a tablespoon of turmeric

1/2 tablespoon of black pepper

1/2 tablespoon of cayenne pepper

1 cup of coconut cream

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

Method

In a pan with your heated oil, add your finely chopped red onion, minced garlic, some salt and all the spices. We shall be adding the spices at this point so that they cook down really well and meld before proceeding to the next steps. If you add them at any other point, they will feel almost grainy and not meld as well.

After the onions have softened (not blackened!!!) and the garlic is fragrant, add your pureed tomatoes, your tomato paste and allow it to cook down for about 4 minutes. Add the coconut cream and mix it in. Turn down the heat to low and allow this to simmer down for another 5 minutes so that all the flavors come together.

 I bought my coconut cream from Tuskys and I am beyond sure you can get it in any other large supermarket. I can never use ingredients that are beyond your reach. So whenever you are wondering where I got any ingredient, ask me. I am always just a tweet away :))

After the time has lapsed, scoop out three tablespoons of the sauce and set aside for use a bit later. Add your tilapia into the remainder of the sauce and squeeze your lemon juice over it. Lemon flavors and fish are a match made in heaven. It’s sourness awakens the flavors and ties everything together.

In Kenya, Tilapia is mostly bought after it has already been deep fried and consumed in most homes after it has been twice cooked: the last phase of cooking being in a rich sauce of choice. For me,today, mine is the coconut cream chilli sauce. There are many ways you can cook it though so do not shy away from playing around with your flavors.

Slather the sauce you scooped out a few minutes ago over the fish and cover with a lid and let this simmer down on low heat. This allows the flavors of the sauce to penetrate the flesh of the fish and also make it super moist. You can also use this same sauce with fries, or potato wedges or with your favorite pasta. If you decide to use my chili coconut sauce with pasta, just do not use lemon or if you do, use it in moderation.

After your fish is done, lock the door, switch off your phone and prepare to dig in uninterrupted!!! My chili coconut tilapia masala is so good, you will need to concentrate and soak in the glorious flavors note by note! Yes, selfishness is allowed!

Perfect with any starch of choice, however I especially enjoy my tilapia masala with some nice hot ugali and creamed managu. With the rainy Nairobi weather, nothing like delicious food to keep your body warm, your tummy full and your soul happy. Make sure my chilli coconut tilapia masala is it!!

Try this out and take pics as you cook and tag me on social media. I would love to see your master piece :)). After you try this out, you can try my tilapia peri peri and my rosemary garlic tilapia fish fingers. I am sure you will fall in love with all three recipes :))

Happy cooking!!

-K

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I can safely and confidently conclude that my best travel trip this year has been to Johannesburg. The island paradise Lamu was enchanting and Dublin was great, however Johannesburg was simply magical!!!!! I met AMAZING young, driven, passionate creatives from different parts of the continent doing amazing things with their gifts. I discovered and fell in love with the vibrance this South African city has to offer. I sharpened my networking skills and indulged in South African cuisine which I absolutely fell in love with. It felt a lot like home, yet spoke of a culture so different. My mind has been opened to so much more and I just cannot wait to go back!! If you follow me on Instagram (If you are not, what on earth are you waiting for??!), you must have seen my daily adventures for our week long excursion through my InstaStory. It is an experience that is one of my 2016 highlights. This post is a highlight of many such moments through 30 photos. It was not a road trip for sure, but I will use the guide below to take you through snippets of Jozi. The hashtag #TembeaNaKaluhi is swahili and in translation could mean Journey with Kaluhi. I hope you get to feel the essence of Jozi through my post relive my experiences through what I share :))

Clouds

This was on our way to Johannesburg early Monday morning on the 12th. Can you spot Mt. Kilimanjaro in the back ground? This trip started off on a great note! We were already site seeing even before we arrived :DD

Morning

My favorite morning was when we woke up at 3.30 a.m. to catch our Hot Air balloon ride at 4.30 a.m courtesy of Air Ventures! I had never been on a hot air balloon so my excitement was over the top!! I was so excited that waking up that early did not even bother me. We flew over the cradle of mankind, also got a chance to see some wild animals in their natural habitat and caught the sunrise from up above!

Taking a picture

I am all for being in the moment, especially during such experiences. But capturing such a moment is also just as important :DD.  (Phot Cred: Richard Schuster)

Close up

One of my favorite desserts we had through out the trip was Panna Cotta. It is a rich creamy Italian dessert, but this particular one in the image below was infused with some Amarula, which is a Southern Africa ingredientI loved it; Italian dessert with a South African twist! I ate 16 and carried 5 more to my room because greed just two and left the rest for my friends to enjoy too.

Technology

I am huge on preserving memories and keeping track of what I did in one particular time.  And google maps has made that so much easier through ‘Your Timeline’ feature. It tracks where you have been on a particular date and saves the location for you. Since I will be returning to Johannesburg one day (AMEEENNN!) and my saved locations will come in handy for places I wish to return. Some people may find it super creepy, but the tracking is available to only you unless you choose to share it.

Also, since I backed up my pictures on my google photos, it also shows you a chronological lay out of photos you took and experiences you had as per your timeline. Check out some screen shots from my 9th of November. From the balloon ride, and back to Glenburn for breakfast, then to Casalinga Italiano Ristorante for chocolate tasting and truffle making and finally back to The Radisson Blu Sandton.

What I wore

I love dressing up!! And I love that the weather, which was pretty warm and a lot similar to Nairobi’s  hot season, in Johannesburg was kind enough to favor that. As a dress and skirt lover, I was in the perfect city!

I made this GIF with google photos. Not only can I save my pictures there, but make GIFs too!!!!!

City lights and Sparky dresses. This was just before our very first You Tube Awards. The event was good, and motivation enough for me to get back to YouTube :))

After dark

After our visit to Soweto, we went to Glenburn Lodge to spend the night. That place is SO beautiful, tranquil and reminded me a lot of Naivasha!!! In the evening, we were treated to a braai dinner. Braai is the South African equivalent to Kenyan Nyama Choma. It was a bountiful feast! (Photo cred : Leon van Rooyen)

Breakfast

If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, I raved about how much I love salmon! So much so that I had to have it every single morning along with other breakfast choices. Chef Raphael found that rather strange, LOL, but in my book, stomach gets what stomach wants. Nairobi being an inland city makes salmon is quite hard to find and expensive too. This was a chance to indulge in one of my favorite fish and I savored each moment.

Locals

Song is part of the African DNA. We love song, be it while welcoming guests, as we were in the short clip below, or weddings, and even funerals. The African spirit is made of son, joy , love and resilience.

Plants or tree

This of course had to be flowers <3

Black and White

Music

As I told you on this Instagram post, I am not one to let an opportunity to dance pass me by. The music came to me, and I went with it :DD Life is meant to be lived!

Watch the video HERE.

Plenty of Color!

Like most African cities, Johannesburg was an explosion of color. We do not just do greys and browns, we surround ourselves with color!!

A sign

#SoCute

Something glass

Yes, it had to be a glass of champagne! We were treated to  some champagne in the bush after we landed from our balloon ride. There was no better way to conclude the ride than with some sparkly! The sun had just risen and the surrounding plains were bathed in golden light. It was magical!!!

Self reflection portrait

The sticker on my mirror asks “What is South Africa’s National Flower”. Well, google hooked me up with the answer and you should use the app to find the answer too. And while we’re at it, can we have an official Kenyan National flower? I asked this on twitter and some of you suggested weed :DD. No! It’s not even a flower :DD

Something I want

I want Chicken sosaties. I want traditional bobotie. I want salmon. I want plenty of litchi and blood orange. I want boerwores. I want samp. I want ox tail. I want lamb. I want South African food!!! I really loved South African food!! It had it’s own distinct character yet spoke of home and had the same freshness and vibrance as Kenyan food. (Photo cred: Leon van Rooyen)

Chicken Sosaties

Lamb. chicken and oxtail, cooked in the traditional South African cooking pots called potjies. I want one of these too!! I still fantasize about the taste and tenderness of the lamb especially slow cooked cooked in these pots. LORD!!

Fried Mogudu with chakalaka and coleslaw. It was slow cooked, coated then fried resulting in a crispy exterior and soft interior. Mogudu is what we Kenyans refer to as matumbo; which in English is tripe. See how much we have in common?!

Eyes

5 p.m

On the day we had some free time in our itinerary, I did some touring of Sandton City. Yes, Nelson Mandela square visit was a must. And yes, a picture at the statue, right at the center, was a must! Let Tourist be tourists! :DD

For all those who love some good retail therapy, shopping at Sandton City Mall will speak to your soul!!!! They have all stores imaginable, most or which we do not have in Nairobi. If you are ever in Johannesburg, Sandton Mall is a MUST visit.

Shadow

Soft shadows. Golden morning light. Glorious African expanse. (Phot cred: Leon van Rooyen)

Feet

Well, one foot and a whole lotta leg!

Wall

Work that wall Fena!!!! If you guys have not listened to any one of her songs, I don not understand why you choose to live in a hole away from civilization :DDD. Just google her, you’ll see what I’m talking about

Smile

With the squad!!! Picture taken by the very talented Leon van Rooyen!

Check them out on social media and get a mighty dose of creative inspiration: Patricis (@misskihoro), Austin (aust_malema), Twiggy (twiggy_moli), Lucia (@luciamusau), Theo (@theodora_lee), Meruschka (@mzansigirl), Raphel (@chefraphaelkn), Tuke (@tukemorgan), Oluwatosin (@lifeofalagosgirl) and Fena (@fena_menal)

Thank you so much Google Africa for an experience I shall live to remember! I cannot wait for our next adventure :)) To all my readers from Johannesburg who I would have loved to meet, there is always a next time. Remember, I will be back :**

Cheers!

-Kaluhi

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I always enjoy getting different opinions from my readers concerning all matters food. Not only does it let me know what we like, but also makes me even more aware of how different we all are and how interesting our personal preferences are. I especially love getting opinions from my twitter audience since they  are refreshingly honest and quite funny too. I once had a series under my usual #KaluhisKonversations (check out that hashtag if you have not :))) where we spoke about njahi and why some people may not like this bean, and how you can make it better overall. I touched on this recipe I made over a year back. Those who love njahi were all into it and those who did not, were definitely won over. With our rainy season in full gear, I decided to make another njahi stew recipe, this time round with bold, very expressive flavors. Be ready to explore new flavors and try new things, because my garlic and cumin njahi stew is nothing short of delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups of njahi

2 red onion, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, pureed

1 teaspoon of finely chopped sage (optional)

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

½ a teaspoon of whole cumin seeds

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

½ a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 ½ tablespoons of royco

1 tablespoon of black pepper

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

Guinness stout, 1 bottle

Vegetable oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method
Soak your njahi overnight in some Guinness. After the soaking time has lapsed, put them to boil until softened then set aside. Njahi belong in the black bean family and have a very distinct earthy taste that I personally really enjoy. They are black with a white strip on its side and turn dark brown after soaking. The reason for soaking is so that they soften and cook in a much shorter time period. Usually, I soak mine in good ol’ water but this time I soaked mine in Guinness stout just to infuse the barley-coffee notes the beer inherently has from the get go.

I would like to address one of the most frequent question I get asked: “So, will I get drunk when I cook with Guinness (or any alcoholic drink)? “

The answer: NO

Cooking is very much a science as it is an art. Do you guys remember when we were learning about various liquid boiling points during Chemistry class in high school? We learnt that alcohol has a very low boiling point. Meaning, it evaporates very fast when heat is applied. Now, when you cook with an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol evaporates in the very early stages of cooking. It is cooked off. What is left behind is the other ingredients and flavors that were used to make the alcoholic beverage; and that is EXACTLY what we are after. We cook with alcohol not to get high (which doesn’t even happen), but to get to the other layered flavors there in. Please please remember this! When someone tells you they got high after eating food cooked with alcohol, just know they are lying because you know and understand the science behind what happens when you cook with alcohol.

With Guinness, after the alcohol cooks off, flavors of the malt, the barley sometimes coffee is what gets left behind. And depending on the dish you are making, one flavor is amplified and brought out over the other.

After soaking for 24 hours

In a pan with your heated oil, add your cumin seeds and let it simmer until fragrant. Be careful not to burn your cumin seeds. I bought my cumin seeds from Tuskys at about 60 shillings. Then, add your chopped red onion, garlic, the finely chopped sage. Let this cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. The use of sage is optional, but if you want to use some, you can purchase some from Nakumatt. Alternatively, you can use coriander stalks.

After the onions have softened and the garlic is fragrant, add your pureed tomatoes, your tomato paste and allow it to cook down for about 4 minutes. Add the boiled njahi and mix them in. Add all the spices and allow them to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

5 minutes before removing your stew form the heat, add your finely chopped carrots and green bell pepper. I always add my carrots an bell pepper towards the end since I do not want to overcook them hence making them soggy. A bit of texture especially in stews is always ideal.

Once done, serve with your favorite starch.

One thing I find absolutely magical about cooking is how different ingredients, each with their own individual characteristics can come together and result in a completely new dish, with its own individual characteristics.

If you have never landed on a great njahi recipe and have always struggled to find flavors that compliment the natural earthiness of the bean, then this is it. My garlic and cumin njahi stew is packed with flavors and each note explodes on your taste buds and you eat. You will taste the barley notes in the thick soup of the stew, your will feel the mild crunch of the carrots, aromatics of the whole cumin seeds and finally the garlic and chilli will warm your pallete.

After you give my garlic and cumin njahi stew, be sure to try out my other njahi recipe: with coconut cream spring onion and ginger. I am sure you will love both. Now that we are in our rainy season, this is the perfect time to indulge :))

TGIF!!!

-K

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There is something about covers that make you fall in love even more with a song you already. Sometimes even, it makes you like a song you never initially really liked. Sometimes, song covers bring forth the beauty of a song that was already there but we just never noticed. That is what I love about Coke Studio Africa! This past Sunday, my favorite cover was ‘Mungu Pekee’ by gorgeous and very talented Yemi Alade. Was it better than the original song? In my opinion, it was! And my favorite this season so far. My sister lover Marry me by Nyashinsky. Which song won you over? While you are still deciding that, please have a listen to the ‘Mungu Pekee’ cover here.

This season’s theme is all about discovery; and you know we have to put a food twist to it! This is the second part of a food discovery series based on the countries participating in Coke Studio Africa, where we discover cooking methods/ flavors/ ingredients from other countries and make one fusion dish with qualities from each country.  Last time we did a fusion dish of Kenya+Uganda+Tanzania (check it out here #slurp). Today, we are discovering Ethiopian + Nigeria + Ghanaian + Mozambican flavors. Are you ready to go down a path of discovery with me? Buckle up!!

PREP TIME: 30 MIN      MARINATION TIME: 24 HRS      COOK TIME: 40 MIN      SERVES: 2

Ingredients

1/4 kg of beef

1/2 a teaspoon of chili paste

1 tablespoon of coffee

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 a teaspoon of minced garlic

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 dried bay leaf, crushed

1/4 cup of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, minced

1 cup of hot water

1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 a teaspoon of mixed spices

Coriander for garnish

Vegetable oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method

Cut your beef into small cubes and place them in a container. Remember to always cut your beef against the grain. That means, if the protein strands are running from left to right, you need to cut the meat from top to bottom. This shortens the protein strand in each bite making the beat soft with each bite.

To this, add your minced garlic and ginger, red wine vinegar, coffee, crushed bay leaves, chili, sugar, pepper and rosemary leaves. I bought my red wine vinegar from Tuskys and you can some from there or any other supermarket. I know someone will ask this: Red wine vinegar is VINEGAR not wine, it is the best for beef marinades.

Coffee makes a fantastic marinade ingredient/ dry spice rub for meats.  It adds depth of flavor and with the right combination, it makes your meat so delicious! Coffee is one of the native crops of Ethiopia, and they have been enjoying this crop for centuries; long before the white man “discovered” it. For this dish,using coffee as part of my marinade was my touch of Ethiopia.

I also used some chili in my marinade, since beef and chili is Always a match made in heaven. I used Kez organics chili paste. Nigerians and Ghanaians are huge on hot food! They love their peppers and chillies in their food, and consider flavors almost incomplete without some heat.  To add a touch of these west African countries, a good dose of some potent chili was a must!

As for mozambique, I discovered that bay leaves is quite a popular ingredient there. In Kenya, bay leaves are hardly found fresh but you will always get some in their dried form, and that is what I used. A bottle goes for about 60 shillings in major supermarket spice section. BesideS beef dry fry, you can use them in your veg & meat stews, pilau, fried rice dishes. A touch of Mozambique you will get to appreciate.

Mix this in and once thoroughly and evenly mixed, cover with a lid and allow this to marinate for 24 hours or more. Remember, the longer the marination period, the more intense your flavors will be.

After the marination time has lapsed, remove from the fridge and prepare for frying. In a pan add you finely chopped red onion and some more garlic and finely chopped bay leaves. This ties the flavors of the marinade with the dry fry together.

Let this cook until fragrant. Add the beef and let it cook until browned. If you please, you can boil the beef before adding it to the onions. I skipped this since my beef was cut into small pieces and would cook through fast enough. Boiling it before frying will however water down the marinade  flavors significantly.

add the tomatoes, tomato paste and 1/4 cup of hot water. Let it cook down for about 5 minutes. Add some more water or beef stock if needed and let this cook down for 15 minutes until the water dries up. Because the meat is in thin strips, it will cook really fast.

Once done, remove from the heat and garnish with some onion chives or some fresh coriander.

A true fusion dish of fantastic flavors from four amazing African countries!. The marinade made the beef very tender and extremely flavorfu! The coffee and the chili really compliment each other and you can feel the kick of the bay leaves and garlic come through. Such a simple recipe, but with such explosive taste!!!

This would be absolutely fantastic with chapati, with ugali and some veggies, with any rice dish, potatoes and literally everything.

After you give my chili and coffee marinated beef dry fry, give my other fusion dish a go: my sweet chili mbuzi choma rolex. My third and final fusion dish will be up next week and I hope you include all three in your festive season banquet!

Cheers!

-K

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