Am I the only one who gets mesmerized when someone speaks fluent Swahili with the coastal accent. It sounds almost musical; almost like poetry. Granted, we Nairobi folk fully understand Kiswahili, but we mix it we so much English and sometimes our vernacular languages so it sounds like a whole other language. I was purchasing some produce from a certain coastal lady and I just spoke to her so that I could listen to her speak. She was a talkative lady and spoke with so much theatrics that I just couldn’t get enough of. It was lunch time and she was eating some meat with chapati. She asked me if I know how to cook and I told her that I in fact love cooking. We exchanged tips and later told me that I have to taste meat cooked with kaarafuu. “Karafuu?” I asked. “Nyinyi wanabara mwaziita cloves” (None coastal people refer to them as cloves.) I told her I had not tried that yet, but promised to cook more with it. Hence the birth of my button mushroom and karafuu spaghetti. Cloves have a very very assertive taste. But when used right and in moderation, it brings out the taste of whatever it is cooked with so so well.
For today, some spaghetti, with button mushroom and the amazing flavor of karafuu (cloves).
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES SERVES:3
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
200 g of Spaghetti
200 g of Mushrooms
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
3 cloves
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
Finely chopped coriander, for garnish
1/2 a tablespoon of coriander powder
1/2 a tablespoon of black pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Cook your spaghetti the usual way. Once it is done, remove from heat and run it through some cold water. This will prevent it from sticking together.
As the spaghetti is cooking, you can prepare the other ingredients. I was looking for chestnut mushrooms, but found only button mushrooms. They are just as delicious! I bought both my mushrooms and cloves from nakumatt. Its amazing how we have so much freshness readily available to us.
In a pan, add your butter and flour and mix these on low heat until they are just combined. Then add your red onion, cloves, coriander powder, tomato paste, black pepper and garlic and cook those until they soften and are fragrant. Add your mushrooms and tomato paste. Let this cook for about 4-6 minutes or until your mushrooms have just softened.
Add the cooked spaghetti and your tablespoon of soy sauce. Mix this and give it a minute more on the heat then plate. I made a mess this time while cooking. oopsie!
Garnish with your coriander and sesame seeds and serve.
If you love mushrooms as much as I do, you will totally dig this! If you do not like mushrooms, this is the dish that will forever change your mind. Creamy, flavorful, mushroomy and filling. And it takes a short time to cook so that’s a plus!
The meaty texture of the button mushrooms tastes so good with the spaghetti. It is also fabulously complimented with the Karafuu which adds a coastal feel to this. With your karafuu (cloves), please be moderate. The flavor is pretty strong and a little goes a long way.
Be adveturous in the kitchen, have an open mind and try something new :))
TGIF
<3 Kaluhi <3
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Hey there! My name is Kaluhi and I love food! Through my blog, I am happy to share with you my self-taught recipes, steeped in nostalgia and the happiest of memories. I hope each recipe you try out is as addictive as the previous one and is shared on a table full of love and hearty laughs!
I love both spaghetti and mushrooms. I’m making this for dinner as soon as I get home! Thanks for the recipe ♥
This is a delicious meal! I feel like having some right now too! I LOVE MUSHROOMS, I feel like I have can never say that enough!
Ate mushrooms for the first time last week during an upcountry visit, they call them ‘ovwova’ and my host had prepared it traditionally…I swear I thought I was having meat before they informed me those were mushrooms. She was kind enough to gift me some too… They were dried in the sun to preserve them so I can’t exactly tell what type they are but at least now I got a meal idea. Thanks KK
OMG You are from the west too??! *high five* I had been so wary about eating ovwova on their own, but after mum brought them from Maragoli one day and made them I was HOOKED! I do not know the type from shags but they were soo good and actually had a meaty taste. We must have eaten the same variety
I have a giriama neighbor! she speaks like she is saying a poem! LOL! Fluent Swa! This is an awesome post, keep up the good work.
I bet she cooks just as well! LOL! Coastal ladies are just something …
Love your blog, my lil sis told me all about it and I’m glad.. Will be reading all the way from London
Xoxo – keep it up!
http://www.lovekept.co.uk
Welcome to the #KKfamily! So honored to have you as a reader. I hope you enjoy every single recipe you try out.
Much love,
xx
Just asking….
Whats the purpose of the floor??
Can it be avoided?
While making a roux, flour is an essential ingredient. Butter and flour together make something called a roux- which makes a rich base for the mushrooms. It is necessary.
As always the dish looks great, yum.
Thank you so much! It is among my favorites :))
Wow! Tried this today and it’s awesome. Thanks for the recipe and keep up the good work
I am glad you liked it and you like my blog too :))
I tried this and it turned out awesome,thanks so much as I had never eaten mushrooms and was a bit scared.
Mushrooms are indeed delicious and I am stocked you loved this one!
I ate mushrooms for the first time (not as a Pizza topping) and i cant believe what i’ve been missing!!! Your recipe is just 👌👌
But arent they all??
Soooooooo thrilled to know that you loved this one boo!
My spaghetti/noodles are always clumpy how can I make fried noodles/spaghetti successfully like at a Chinese restaurant?
Do not overcook
I made this today and it turned out absolutely divine – this is a great recipe! Given how simple and quick it is, I honestly did not expect it to turn out this well. I found it because I was looking for a way to use up some leftover mushrooms, but I’ll definitely add it to my usual recipe rotation.
I love to see that you enjoyed this!!! Cheers!