Around the World: Kenyan Cuisine

Amidst coronavirus, I’m sticking to what I – and a lot of other people – love most: cooking and baking.  One challenge I’ve presented to myself is to make a dish (or dishes) of international cuisines every week, learn some words from the language, and e-visit some of the country’s landmarks.  Some of these dishes will be more complex than others, based on what ingredients I have available in the house. 

This week’s Airbnb’s online international food class? Kenyan cuisine, which encompassed four dishes.

DISH #1: UGALI (GF + V)

Our host, Josephine, explained that one of the staple dishes is ugali – a type of cornmeal mash, similar to polenta. It’s usually a white cornmeal, but the only one I had available was yellow (pictured in the smaller pot below).

Recipe: Immaculate Bites’ Ugali

DISH #2: VEGETABLE STIR FRY (GF + V)

Don’t let this dish’s short ingredient list deceive you. It is absolutely delicious, and in fact, I’ve put it on top of steamed kale for extra greens.

DISH #3: VEGETABLE CURRY (GF + V)

Josephine explained that Kenya has a large Indian influence, as many Gujarati people came to East Africa in colonial times. This is how curries found their way into Kenyan cuisine.

Recipe: Food’s Vegetable Curry

DISH #4: CHAPATI (V)

Continuing with the Indian influence, chapatis are a deviant of the Indian parathas. Similar to the parathas, they are flakey and rolled so as to render thin layers. People enjoy chapatis with a stew for dinner, or by itself as a breakfast or mid-morning snack.

Chapatis are cooked on a griddle, and are lightly fried.

Recipe: Tara’s Multicultural Table Chapati

USEFUL WORDS

Kenya has two official languages – Swahili and English, although Swahili more commonly spoken. Below are a couple words to familiarize yourself with the language!

• Hujambo or jambo –> How are you?
  • Sijambo –> I am fine / no worries
  • Salama –> peaceful / all’s well
• Habari za asubuhi –> good morning
• Habari za mchana –> good afternoon
• Habari za jioni –> good evening
• Habari za kutwa? –> How has your day been?
• Kwaheri –> Goodbye
• Tuonane kesho –> see you tomorrow
  • Inshallah –> God willing

LANDMARKS

Lake Naruku National Reserve

Lake Nakuru National Park, in Central Kenya, is famous for its huge flocks of pink flamingos. The park was established in 1961, and more than 450 species of birds have been recorded here, as well as a rich diversity of other wildlife. Lions, leopards, warthogs, waterbucks, pythons, and white rhinos are just some of the animals you might see, and the landscapes range from sweeping grasslands bordering the lake to rocky cliffs and woodland. 

Amboseli National Reserve

Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, Amboseli National Reserve is one of Kenya’s most popular tourist parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” an apt description for the park’s parched conditions. The reserve is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephantsup close.

Maasai Mara National Reserve

It’s named after the statuesque, red-cloaked Maasai people who live in the park and graze their animals here, as they have done for centuries. In their language, Mara means “mottled,” perhaps a reference to the play of light and shadow from the acacia trees and cloud-studded skies on the vast grasslands. 

Lamu Island

The small island of Lamu, northeast of Mombasa, oozes old-world charm. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lamu Old Town is Kenya’s oldest continually inhabited settlement, with origins dating back to the 12th century.