Tag: kaluhi’s kitchen (Page 6 of 8)

Passion Fruit Marinated Honey Pork Chops

October 14, 2016 / Kaluhi / 29 Comments

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!

Sweet Chili Mbuzi Choma Rolex

October 11, 2016 / Kaluhi / 15 Comments

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!!

Cumin and Eggplant Veggie ‘Meatballs’

October 7, 2016 / Kaluhi / 3 Comments

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!!

Achari ya Limau

September 14, 2016 / Kaluhi / 5 Comments

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.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken Strips

August 12, 2016 / Kaluhi / 10 Comments

Let me admit: I struggle to make my chicken breast moist. Be it through frying or baking, somedays it comes out nice and juicy, other days it comes out dry. And when I say dry I mean as dry as kuni :DD. It is something I am yet to master, but in the cooking world, one never knows everything and each day is a chance to learn, yes? I still however almost always have chicken breast in my freezer, just in case I need to whip up something in a short amount of time. To go around the problem of dry chicken breast, I always make chicken strips with some kind of sauce. Chicken strips take such a short time to cook and having them drenched in a sauce gives them much needed juiciness. Cooking my chicken breast this way has never failed me.

Today I give you my third chicken strips recipe; this time drenched in a rich cheesy lemon rosemary sauce. So so easy you can cook it with your hands tied and eyes shut! Lets do this!

Karafuu and Rosemary Carrot Soup

August 5, 2016 / Kaluhi / 6 Comments

August started with such a huge burst of sunshine and warmth. Glorious month it is, even more so that it is my birth day month! Unlike this year, last year or the year before it always has the first two weeks of August still shaking off the July freeze. This year has been different. Warmer. I however feel we have one more week of cold temperatures before we finally move on and enjoy beautiful sunshine. I prepared this carrot soup in anticipation of cozy cold nights in, but the weather decided to surprise us with some warmth. But in all honesty, soups can be taken in any weather. And I believe my soothing karafuu and rosemary carrot soup will warm your body and keep you comfy.

Savory Rainbow Chicken Chili Sandwich

July 28, 2016 / Kaluhi / 0 Comments

When I think about incorporating the word ‘rainbow’ into a recipe, mind first drifts towards creating a sweet dish as opposed to a savory one. Blame skittles for that :DD. How ever this time, I decided to make something savory using a word that invokes thoughts of a sweet dish. Also, I did not have enough ingredients to make a sweet rainbow inspired dish and felt too lazy to get some. I felt so lazy, that I transformed leftovers into one hell of a sandwich! Who said left overs are boring?? :DD

This sandwich takes no more than 15 minutes to make. It has a ton of character and a even more flavor. Thank heavens you can get all these ingredients right in your fridge! Lets get to business!

Green Mango and Ginger Cocktail

July 19, 2016 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

Whenever mom comes back to Nairobi form her trips out west, she usually brings with her a bounty of goodies. For her most recent trip, she brought with her plenty of green mangoes, which are among my favorite kind of mango due to their very sweet unique taste. I shared this story with you guys on Instagram on Sunday as I pondered on what I would make with the newly brought fresh produce.

I decided to make a cocktail. All the flavors in this green mango and ginger cocktail married beautifully and exploded with such fullness with each seep. And in true K fashion, it so easy to make and delivers on taste too :)).

Cinnamon Breakfast Crumb Cake

June 28, 2016 / Kaluhi / 14 Comments

My second ever baking post on the blog. People usually say if you love to cook, you don’t love to bake. But I absolutely don’t believe that since I actually have a knack for baking. It is just that, my oven has not been working for almost 2 years now. Remember this post where I told you all about it? :(. But whenever I can, I shall be sneeking in baking posts for you guys.

As we move closer and closer to the colder months of July and August, I am usually more into really indulgent foods. I like having my sweet cake with while enjoying rainy foggy Sunday afternoons in. One of my favorite cakes to have is my crumb cake with some strungi of course. Let’s whip some up and hopefully you’ll be into it too :))

Strawberries and Coconut Cream Oats

June 9, 2016 / Kaluhi / 21 Comments

I always love it when I get feedback from you guys on social media. I usually try my very best to answer as soon as I can, the best I can. One of my readers asked me on Instagram how to make their oats a lot more palatable. I gave an answer based on what I had in mind at that time and with help of some of my readers.

After some thought and landing on the best brand for oats, I think I have landed upon a gold mine of flavors for your oats. @muthonirene, this one is for you <3, and everyone else. I personally love oats, and I do not know why many people don’t. I think their flavor make the perfect canvas for adding more flavor and character. For this recipe, I maximized on that and made my oats super indulgent, creamy and fruity. An easy oat recipe that is a #MUSTTRY!

Rosemary and Okra Fried Rice

March 2, 2016 / Kaluhi / 12 Comments

We ALL have those things we prefer not to eat probably due to some bad food experiences we had in the past. Some time in 2014, I asked my followers on Instagram what they do not like to eat or what they have a hard time making delicious. The answers ranged from beetroot, to matumbo (tripe), to cabbage. One of them pointed out that for them, okra has been so hard to cook since they always find it so flat in terms of flavor and got turned off when it gets kinda slimy. She wondered how some people managed to cook it without it becoming so boring and asked me to help her. I may be over a year late with my response, but trust me, it is worth the wait :))

I made this dish as a challenge to myself and response to the feedback I got upon asking that question. And I love challenges especially when it comes to making something that is healthy but not too appetizing become delicious. Looking for something unique and speedy ? Try this rosemary and okra fried rice.

Mango and Lime Smoothie Bowl

January 15, 2016 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

I love mangoes. I feel like I have spent the past two months saying this. But can you really blame me. It turns out than many of you also share my love for mangoes as indicated in this Instagram post. I try have them after all three meals whenever I can and incorporate them in meals too. And for me, there is no other way than channeling the sweetness of this beautiful fruit than in a smoothie bowl.

One of my Instagram (@lizbettynally) followers requested for a smoothie. I had been toying around with this idea and I decided to finally give it a go. My youngest sister, Musimbi, had this and she loved it so much she wanted to have it every day as a post-work out meal. Trust me, it looks as good as it tastes.

Cooking Challenge – #KupikaNaKaluhi

October 7, 2015 / Kaluhi / 0 Comments

Every Monday, I always give you guys an ingredient of the week and show you how you can use it in your cooking to spruce things up. Today, I am giving you a set of ingredients only difference is, you are making a dish of your choice and a fantastic prize is up for grabs for the best recipe and the best picture of the prepared dish. This challenge is dubbed #KupikaNaKaluhi and it is in partnership with Infinix Mobile. Kaluhi’s Kitchen is all about innovative recipes while infinix mobile is all about innovative mobile trends so we want to honor one of my readers who shall embody the same quality both brands have: Innovation.

Onion and Lime Guacamole

August 21, 2015 / Kaluhi / 2 Comments

There are certain things you know will always upgrade any meal, and Guacamole is one of them. Whether in small bits of huge amounts, guac will always add some excitment to your food. Want to add flavor to your githeri? Guacamole will save the day. Want something to accompany your ugali and nyamachoma? Guac is here for you. Or maybe you want to add something creamy to add to your bhajia…no need to go any further than guacamole. Perhaps you would like something creamy to temper the spice of your chicken wrap..You guessed it! Guacamole is the answer.

In addition to being so easy to make, guacamole is very very healthy. And when you have healthy and tasty in one package, its a win!

30 random things about me

August 2, 2015 / Kaluhi / 37 Comments

Someone asked me to tell more about myself beyond what I share on the blog. To just get to know me. It is abit beyond what I feel comfortable doing, but no harm in doing it. So here is a tiny bit of who I am: 30 things about me.

Easy Dessert – Cake and Custard

July 21, 2015 / Kaluhi / 12 Comments

Have you ever smelt something or ate something and it immediately reminded you of a memory of something or someone? I am sure you have experienced this, whether food related or not. When it comes to food, one of the aromas that take me back to the 90’s is the aroma of custard. It reminds me of the afternoons we would spend with uncle Kivayiru at his home in Kileleshwa. My sisters and I loved it there! We would play so much, get sooooo dirty and fall right asleep in our car ride back home in Langata. To this day, I love custard. There is a way to make it from scratch, but a little shortcut hurt nobody. Especially now that temparatures are dropping, cake and custard will sure warm you up.

Salt Bar and Grill

July 19, 2015 / Kaluhi / 6 Comments

The junction is always a bee hive of activity regardless of which day of the week. People moving through the mall lost in their own business and chatting away. In the midst of all this rests Salt Grill and bar, sitting like and oasis of relaxation in a dessert of bustling activity. My first impression of Salt grill and bar was class, indulgence and quality; both in terms of service and product. I was pleased to discover that they lived up to my expectations. Thank you Eat Out Kenya and Yummy KE for introducing me to this gem!

Salt is a name that mirrors restaurants with the same name in Europe that offer very high service and product. It is an easy name to remember and kinda has a modern feel to it. Formerly known as WWW, this is the ultimate wine bar in Nairobi. Unlike majority of the restaurants that mostly offer french wine, Salt Grill and bar ventures into the unexplored. They have wines form all over the globe but also offer Californian wine from the Napa Valley and Wines from Spain too. These regions are not strongly associated with wine production, but they understand the craft and make really good wine.

Pan Fried Fish with Sweet and Sour Ukwaju Sauce

July 14, 2015 / Kaluhi / 36 Comments

It was 1999 and me and my best friend Ngina were playing outside. Her cousin,Shena, had just come back from the coast and ofcourse, with plenty of goodies. One of the things she brought were ukwaju (tamarind). To us they looked like dates. And if they looked like dates, and felt like dates, then they had to taste like dates…How wrong we were. After puting a handful into our mouths, it was not long before we spat them out. They were so sour. So much so that our tongues kept zinging. LOL. I vowed never to eat sour ukwaju ever again, and wondered why people even liked them.

Now, older and wiser, I have learnt how to use this sour ingredient. After my eldest sister brought them home after some days at the coast, I decided to give it a try. This totally paid off!

Flame Tree Restaurant at Sarova Panafric

July 11, 2015 / Kaluhi / 12 Comments

I had the privilege to attend the unveiling of the new menu for Flame Tree Restaurant at the Sarova Panafric. The Sarova Panafric is the only Pan-African hotel and home to authentic African tastes. To retain their reputation as the preferred hospitality hotel in the region, they constantly seek improvement and exceeding of expectations. This was evident and reflected in their menu. Their “Best of Kenya” concept seeks to offer the best locally produced and sourced foods in three culinary areas which are: traditional Kenyan cuisine; Western cuisine with an African influence and Swahili/Coastal Kenyan cuisine. Their meals have an African touch but with the highest level of eclectic global appeal and prepared with such great skill and execution. It was nothing short of excellence and opulence.

If you are like me, you have a mental list places you wish to visit or dine one day. Not to prove anything, but to simply enjoy the experience that good quality and service brings with it. If you have your list of places you want to dine in the near future, you had better add Flame Tree Restaurant to it.

Peppery Hot dog with Lemon and Garlic Plain Yoghurt Sauce

July 10, 2015 / Kaluhi / 10 Comments

Let’s be honest for a second… the whole world loves hot dogs. Or at least in my head, the whole world does. Perfect snack. And depending on what you add to them, you can get all food groups into your hot dog. There are so many ways to have your hot dog. And that gets me excited since it awakens my creative power.

I decided to make my hot dog with the frankfurter sauteed with green bell peppers until they are crispy. I also decided to replace the mustard with a tangy lemon and garlic plain yoghurt sauce. So for my 100th post, savor on this brilliant and delicious beauty.