Tag: kaluhi’s kitchen (Page 7 of 8)

Pea and Potato Stew

June 30, 2015 / Kaluhi / 38 Comments

Potato stew is rather common in Kenya. Probablly because you can throw in various ingredients and having them cook all at once. This saves plenty of time. Unfortunately for most, this meal falls short of flavor. But in our home, we have found a way to have this taste great all the time. After years of tweaking my mum’s recipe, we finally settled on the best potato stew.

I shared this picture on Instagram and Face book a while back and it received quite a nice reception. I decided to share our family recipe today and I know you will like it. Regardless of what you make, no matter how basic, never ever compromise on how it tastes and looks. For today: Pea and Potato Stew

7 most common food myths denunked

June 19, 2015 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

We have all heard those do’s and dont’s about cooking , food and being in the kitchen. While many of them hold ground and have truth to them, others are just not quite true. With the society at large becoming more health conscious, alot of foods are being avoided at all costs. I am a believer that every single food can contribute to the well being of our bodies. It is just important for you not to overindulge. Here are some 7 most common food myths:

Butternut Soup with Crispy Toasted Seeds

June 12, 2015 / Kaluhi / 16 Comments

I could hear the rumble of thunder from a distance, and I knew that particular weekend would be a cold, rainy one. The house grew dark & cold, so I went upstairs to grab myself a pair of socks. No sooner had I come back down than the rain began aggressively beating on the roof. Huge, angry drops of May Nairobi Rain. A bright flash of lightning lit the entire sky and with it, power was gone. Typical! Since I could not go anywhere outside, nor watch anything I decided to retreat to my favorite place: the Kitchen. That day, I decided to prepare some soup to warm myself up as I waited for electricity to return and keep myself busy.

This butternut soup is so beautiful I literally stared at it for so long. I took so many pics of it and it is one of my most visually appealing dishes yet. It is so filling, very nutritious and very warming. While it is currently not as rainy in Nairobi right now as it was a week ago, it is still rather cold especially in the evenings (22° C / 72F qualifies as cold in this equatorial country). This is the best soup for you to have. Whether as a the perfect prelude to a magnificent meal or just to warm you up, this butternut soup will still make you happy!

Chili and Ginger Githeri

June 9, 2015 / Kaluhi / 19 Comments

I am one of those people who can never EVER miss githeri when it is cooked. It’s almost an obsession. Ask my sisters, I absolutely love githeri. When I tell this to people, I get that look as though I just said I love eating kittens, live ones, in a graveyard, while chanting sacrilegious hymns of an extinct tribe . This may be because majority are yet to have that deliciously celestial githeri-eating experience. But I will give you one..

One of my earliest recipes on this blog was that of githeri, where I prepared it with coconut cream and curry which brought our its softer elements. You can get that recipe here. This time, I am using stronger flavors of chilli and ginger which brings out its more savory side. There is more than one way of preparing anything. And that is what makes cooking very exciting and a constant adventure. Do not allow your self to cook one meal the exact same way for all the days of your life. You will be missing out!

To warm you up as days get colder: Chilli and Ginger Githeri

Cake Festival 2015 – How it went down…

June 7, 2015 / Kaluhi / 14 Comments

When the event organizers for the Cake Festival 2015 say come and eat as much cake as you can, they are actually very very serious about that. This event had about 200 bakers showcasing their skill. It was a day of pure indulgence. We ate so much cake and I feel I will not have any more cake in a long long time. The bakers were very engaging and warm and majority of them had really high quality cake. And the best part is that all funds raised from this event shall be used to further education for students who come from needy backgrounds. It was all for a worthy cause.

This is how it went down.

Cayenne and Red Onion Nyama Choma Dry-fry

June 2, 2015 / Kaluhi / 9 Comments

In my country it is almost an abomination to throw away left overs of any meal. In the Kenyan spirit of resourcefulness, all meals that are left over from the current meal are set aside to be eaten as part of or for the next meal. Wastefulness is totally discouraged in our culture. And I believe that is a totally fantastic thing.

But lets be honest, at times having left-overs over and over can sometimes be monotonous. Hence it is always advisable to change things up and add new flavors to and transform an already awesome meal. Following the Madaraka day celebrations, we had some left over nyama-choma. To make this richer and tastier, we usually turn this into a dry fry. The process of frying it tenderizes the meat further but it still retains that smokey flavor. The onions and the chilli enhance the flavor of the nyama choma meat so well. It is soo good, just typing this made me salivate.

Garlic Masala Fries

May 15, 2015 / Kaluhi / 18 Comments

I am not such a big fan of junk food as I highlighted in this post not too long ago. But in all honesty, I find it so hard to turn down a good plate of masala fries. And I guess these garlic masala fries have to be the only exception. Fries have become quite common in Kenya over the past decade and different ways to have them have come up with time. I first heard of masala fries from my eldest sister while I was still in boarding school and the name alone made my mouth water. I vowed to have a taste of them as soon as my holiday begun. With some of my savings at hand, I made my way to Wimpy and bought some. I was not disappointed!

Today I made masala fries, but added my little twist to them, as usual! I added plenty of garlic which brought out the taste of the chilli so well and added to the juiciness of the masala sauce. These garlic masala fries iare a must try for all my readers.

Spring Onion and Cumin Seed Farfalle Stir-Fry

May 12, 2015 / Kaluhi / 0 Comments

I just feel like I must begin by reassuring you not to be intimidated by the name of this dish. LOL! Remember when we did this dish with a very different name, but it turned out very simple (and most popular for that month)? This farfalle stir fry is one of those dishes with long name but so simple to make. I promise! This is simply a stir fry made using a type of pasta called farfalle, which in my opinion are the prettiest pasta on the face of the earth. They resemble little bows and the girly girl in me almost automatically gravitated to them.

This stir fry was suggested to me by my friend, Vidhi, who loves cooking just as much as I do. Her recipe used cardamom seeds and white sauce. I put my own twist to it and used the ingredients I have available. Because this type of pasta is already inherently beautiful, this shaves off a lot of time trying to make the dish look pretty. Do read through and discover how easy this farfalle strir fry is to make:

Chocolate and Raisin Banana Split Delite

May 5, 2015 / Kaluhi / 0 Comments

I am the kind of person who is very analytical before I get into something. A few weeks before I started this blog, I used to post some pics of what I make at home on my personal Face Book page. I did that to see how the reception would be and how the public warmed up to them. To my surprise, people loved them and requested for the recipes. I was then sure the best platform to share the recipes would be via a blog.

One of the pictures I shared were those of this banana split. I made it first for my sisters and it was a hit. I initially made it with just ground nuts but this time I tweaked it a little bit and added some raisins for some extra sweetness. This is one of those very simple desserts that are just as healthy as they are breathtaking. The flavors of the chocolate, robustness of the raisins, softness of the vanilla yoghurt and texture of the nuts came together in perfect harmony in this banana split.

As I posted on Instagram, for the month of May, I shall focus on very simple recipes that bring out high profile flavors. Today, feast your eyes (and tongue) on this 🙂

Chicken Stew – Kuku Kienyeji

April 17, 2015 / Kaluhi / 23 Comments

I always enjoy getting feedback from my followers about all the recipes I develop and about the recipes they would like to see. A few weeks back, I had my second ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on instagram where my followers got a chance to ask me anything be it food or non food related. One of the questions that I was asked by one of my followers was a recipe for chicken stew. I love all things chicken and I quickly jumped at this suggestion hence the birth of this recipe. I decided to go all Kenyan on it and made chicken stew- kuku kienyeji.

Kuku kienyeji refers to chicken that have not been bred or raised on commercial feeds but are left to feed on whatever they find around; free range chicken. Their meat can be a bit tough, but when cooked well, it literally slides off the bone. It is all bout technique. Its meat is very lean and slightly darker in color compared to broiler. The taste is also more wholesome. Chicken stew- kuku kienyeji is simply one of the heartiest meals on the face of this earth. This chicken stew recipe contains the fresh flavor of ground coriander, green bell pepper and red onion which makes this so rich and with layers of different flavors. You will fall head over heels in love with this!

Peas and Red Bell Pepper Fried Rice

March 17, 2015 / Kaluhi / 8 Comments

I love peas. It is one of those meals I can have all day every day with nearly everything. We are really blessed to come from a country where we can find organic fruits and veggies at a really affordable prices, peas being one of them. Hence, when ever I can, I always get myself some. I was walking towards my bus stage one evening and I saw this lady removing peas straight from their pods. Nothing looks fresher and more inviting than that. I stopped and got myself some and decided to make a rice dish with them.

This is a light fried rice dish. It is wholesome very healthy and very warm if I may say. I has this charm that will make where ever you are feel like home. As an addition to our many rice recipes, sample my pea and red bell pepper fried rice.

Chilli and Garlic Matumbo

March 10, 2015 / Kaluhi / 54 Comments

I do not know exactly why I never liked Matumbo for the better part of my life. Maybe I may have had a nasty matumbo experience when I was a child that led me to absolutely abhor that meal. This all changed last year when I decided to face my fears and had matumbo for the first time in a very long time. And it was the tastiest thing I had tasted in a long time. I then concluded that probably it all comes down to how you cook it, and if it is cooked well, the results are always spectacular!

Matumbo is a swahili word which in this context loosely translates to innards. The western world refers to matumbo as tripe and I was pleased that they too indulge in this delicacy. It is the meat that comes from the stomach of a cow, making it an organ meat. It is cheaper than muscle meats and very nutritious. Today I prepared for you one of my new favorites, with the fabulous flavors of chilli and garlic. The technique I used was very specific so just read on to find out more :). I am so excited about this!!!!!

Garlic and Rosemary Unskinned Potato Wedges

March 3, 2015 / Kaluhi / 2 Comments

Do you have one of those days when you feel so lazy to cook, yet you still want to eat something tasty?? This garlic and rosemary unskinned potato wedges recipe was developed while I was in that very state. After a few minutes of brain storming, I came up with this recipe that is both very easy, and very outstanding. At times I enjoy having my potatoes unskinned since they add this deep, earthy flavor which is missing when potatoes are peeled. And because I did not want to spend too much time standing, not peeling the potatoes worked in my favor 🙂

To make this even more fantastic, I added some rosemary, garlic and various other flavors which marvelously complimented these potato wedges. This is a must try!!

Sesame seed and Ginger Scrambled eggs

February 28, 2015 / Kaluhi / 3 Comments

Do you ever wake up and just feel like cooking nice things because the day looks beautiful and has started really well? I do not know if I am the only one who feels this… But on the particular day I made this dish, I woke up feeling really up beat. The sun was shining so bright outside, Ngong hills as seen from our kitchen window looking as majestic as always and the morning air was crisp and clean. The day ahead looked really promising. I decided to make the day even more fantastic by having a very good first meal of the day.

I decided to have scrambled eggs for breakfast, and you know, as usual, these were not just any normal scrambled eggs. I decided to play around with my pantry ingredients and came up with the most delicious scrambled eggs with the most spectacular flavors and amazing textures. Start your day on the right foot with my out-of-the-world sesame seed and ginger scrambled eggs.

Gourmet Coleslaw

February 24, 2015 / Kaluhi / 4 Comments

One of my most memorable childhood memories are those that involve family get-aways and short trips within the country. I particularly fondly remember the times when my parents used to take my sisters and I (sometimes together with my cousins) to a recreation spot deep in the breathtaking Maasai Land called Olooloitikoshi every other Sunday afternoon. As we had been told, olooloitikoshi means “The land of the Zebras” in the Maasai dialect (i stand corrected if that translation is wrong :D), and for us, it was the funnest place on the planet. Immediately after church, we would pass by home, dress down a little, prepare some bitings and leave for the Rift Valley. One of the things that my mommy used to make every single time was some coleslaw. This always made the perfect accompaniment to the tender roast meat and the steamy soft mukimu served by the locals together with all other delicacies we would have at the foot of the Ngong hills.

Today I present to you one of dishes that never never missed our outings,coleslaw, but with a delicious gourmet twist. It goes beyond the basic cabbage and carrot for coleslaw and includes an array of other ingredients that make this more wholesome and 5 star worthy. Read on to know exactly how to make your coleslaw fantastic <3

All-Kenyan Bean Stew

February 20, 2015 / Kaluhi / 32 Comments

In my country, the foods served are pretty stream lined. Kenyans have a very clear idea about what they like to eat all the time, and what they prefer not to have. This can be a really good thing and a really bad thing. One of the many foods that are really popular in Kenyan cuisine are bean stew and chapati. Some people also love to have the bean stew with some rice and at times some ugali. Today, I decided to add my own twist to this Kenyan favorite which takes it up a notch.

I boiled my beans with whole cumin seeds, garlic cloves and ginger root. This gave the individual beans character and a fabulous depth of flavor. It was made even more special using thick tomato sauce, amazing taste of red onion richness of bell papers, and texture of carrot.

Prepare to be taken to cloud 9!

Thyme and Garlic Dry Fry Goat Meat

February 17, 2015 / Kaluhi / 56 Comments

Food is a medium that brings people together. It is the perfect ice breaker. It is a way that can bring people closer together. I also consider it a way of showing affection and/or appreciation for those around especially when effort and love is put in the preparation of their favorite meals. I am the kind of person who enjoys watching those close to me absolutely enjoy what I make for them hence I put my all in making their favorite dishes.

I know someone really special to me really loves goat meat. I have never made this dish for him yet as I was searching for the perfect recipe. I tried this out for myself first to see if the flavors blend, and for my sisters to critique and give their reviews. I loved it and my sisters enjoyed this so much, I just had to share it with you guys too. Now I know when I do make this dish for him, he will be blown away! I hope you make this for those close to your heart too 🙂

Cinnamon-Sugar Dusted Churros with Chocolate Sauce

February 13, 2015 / Kaluhi / 1 Comment

I am the kind of person who believes that if you have special people in your life, you should show them that they indeed are every single time you get a chance to do so. While Valentines Day is an exciting time to shower the people we cherish with affection, we should not limit ourselves to just that one day out of the 365 that exist. Everyday is a good enough day to show affection to your loved ones, or to treat yourself too. Despite my strong belief about tomorrow, I still find no harm by indulging in a bit of chocolate. So I decided o join the band wagon and made the most delicious cinnamon dusted churros ever that will make this Valentine’s weekend one to remember.

Why not do an indoors Valentines day weekend and surprise your loved ones with these out-of -the-world cinnamon dusted churros with the richest chocolate sauce.

Creamed Spinach

February 6, 2015 / Kaluhi / 5 Comments

In my country Kenya, the most popular vegetables that accompany any meal are kale and cabbage. They are nutritious, but when you have them too often one yearns for a bit more variety. That’s when I always indulge in veggies popular in my tribe, the Luhya tribe, which offer greater variety and have bolder flavor and character. Such as these include tsisaga, mutere, murenda,kanzira, seveve, mto e.t.c. They are usually cooked with cream and various other ingredients that make this vegetables rich and beautifully tasty. During the times I cannot access them, I usually have creamed spinach. Creamed spinach usually go with nearly everything. In majority of the recipes I have done in the past, I usually recommend them to be served with creamed spinach. One of my readers requested this recipe and I was more than delighted to share with her, and with all of you :).

3 Spice Golden Fried Chicken

January 20, 2015 / Kaluhi / 29 Comments

In our home, we love having our chicken. And we prepare it real good. There are no two ways about having chicken in our home, it always has both perfectly marinated and perfectly seasoned.And I must admit, it is always really good. There are many chicken recipes out there, and this one has been in our family for years. It was formulated by my mom and slightly modified by us through the years and passed down the family. It is crazy good!!

From my heart to yours, I hope this family recipe brings much delight and joy to your dinner table as it did to my family through out the years 🙂