Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Kenya

Ask what Kenya eats and the answer starts with this: grilled nyama choma, maize staples and greens inland; Swahili coconut-and-spice cooking along the Indian Ocean coast. Look for Ugali (stiff maize-meal staple molded by hand to scoop stews and greens), Nyama choma (slow-grilled goat or beef shared with kachumbari and beer) and Sukuma wiki (collard greens braised with onion and tomato, ugali’s daily partner). Maize came from the Americas via Portuguese traders and only displaced millet and sorghum as Kenya’s staple during the twentieth century. This atlas has 43 Kenya dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

43 dishes.

Achari ya embeAchari ya embeGreen mango cured with salt, chilli and spices until soft and sourBhajiaBhajiagram-flour-battered potato slices fried crisp, Indian-Kenyan favoriteBirianiBirianiLayered coastal rice with spiced meat, saffron-tinted and served at weddingsBusaaBusaaThick sour maize beer drunk warm through a shared straw from a potChangaaChangaaHarsh clear spirit distilled from maize or millet mash, potent and cheapChapatiChapatiLayered wheat flatbread fried in oil and eaten with beans or teaChips masalaChips masalaFried chips tossed in a spiced tomato and chilli sauceDawaDawaVodka, honey and lime crushed with a honey-coated swizzle stickGitheriGitheriboiled maize and beans, often fried with vegetables; Kikuyu stapleIrioIriomashed potatoes with peas and whole maize kernelsKachumbariKachumbarifresh tomato, onion and chili salad squeezed with limeKaimatiKaimatiSmall fried dough balls tossed in cardamom sugar syrupKenya GoldKenya GoldCoffee liqueur made with Kenyan arabica, drunk over ice or in coffeeKenyan chaiKenyan chaistrong milky tea boiled with sugar, drunk all dayKenyan coffeeKenyan coffeeBright, blackcurrant-sharp arabica from the volcanic slopes around Mount KenyaKuku kienyejiKuku kienyejiTough free-range village chicken stewed slowly into deep-flavoured brothKuku pakaKuku pakacoastal chicken curry in charred coconut sauceMaasai blood and milkMaasai blood and milkFresh cattle blood mixed with milk, drunk on ceremonial daysMabuyuMabuyuBaobab seeds coated in sugar syrup dyed red and spiced with chilliMahamriMahamriCardamom-scented fried dough puffs eaten with tea or beansManaguManaguSlightly bitter African nightshade leaves stewed with cream or milkMandaziMandazilightly sweet cardamom fried doughnut squares, chai companionMatumboMatumboTripe simmered long with tomato and onion until tender, eaten with ugaliMaziwa lalaMaziwa lalaNaturally soured milk poured over ugali or drunk cold and thickMbaazi wa naziMbaazi wa naziPigeon peas stewed in coconut milk, the classic partner to mahamriMkate wa siniaMkate wa siniaFermented rice and coconut batter baked into a soft tray cakeMnaziMnaziCoconut palm sap tapped and left to ferment, drunk cloudy and sourMukimoMukimoPotatoes mashed with maize, beans and pumpkin leaves until greenMuratinaMuratinaHoney or sugarcane brew fermented with dried sausage-tree fruit, sipped from a hornMursikMursikKalenjin fermented milk soured in charcoal-lined gourdsMuturaMuturagrilled blood-and-meat sausage sold at roadside butcheriesNdenguNdengugreen gram stewed with coconut or tomato, eaten with chapatiNyama chomaNyama chomaslow-grilled goat or beef shared with kachumbari and beerOmenaOmenaTiny sun-dried Lake Victoria sardines fried with onion and tomatoPilauPilaurice cooked in whole spices with beef, Swahili coast favoriteSamosaSamosaFried pastry cone of spiced potatoes and peas, with chutney

  • Achari ya embe

    Green mango cured with salt, chilli and spices until soft and sour. Ready in 40 min prep and 10 min…

  • Bhajia

    Gram-flour-battered potato slices fried crisp, Indian-Kenyan favorite. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min cooking. 4 servings. A street…

  • Biriani

    Layered coastal rice with spiced meat, saffron-tinted and served at weddings. Ready in 45 min prep and 1 hr 30…

  • Busaa

    Thick sour maize beer drunk warm through a shared straw from a pot. A wine & spirit recipe from Kenya.

  • Changaa

    Harsh clear spirit distilled from maize or millet mash, potent and cheap. A wine & spirit recipe from Kenya.

  • Chapati

    Layered wheat flatbread fried in oil and eaten with beans or tea. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min…

  • Chips masala

    Fried chips tossed in a spiced tomato and chilli sauce. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves…

  • Dawa

    Vodka, honey and lime crushed with a honey-coated swizzle stick. Ready in 5 min prep and none cooking. 1 drink.…

  • Githeri

    Boiled maize and beans, often fried with vegetables; Kikuyu staple. Ready in 15 min prep and 2 hr cooking. 6…

  • Irio

    Mashed potatoes with peas and whole maize kernels. Ready in 25 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking. Serves 6. A…