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  • Kenyan Mandazi Recipe; Making Soft Mandazi Recipe

    Mandazi are deep-fried, spiced doughnut-like treats that are an East African delicacy. These fluffy and fragrant bites are great for snacking, but be forewarned, it’s virtually impossible to eat just one! Our mandazi recipe is made with simple pantry staples like flour, sugar, baking powder, and coconut milk.
    They are triangle-shaped and flavored with a dash of cardamom, which infuses a unique taste, setting them apart from American doughnuts. Mandazi are best served with a cup of hot Kenyan coffee or chai and are perfect for breakfast. Serve them with honey or jam for a sweet treat, or enjoy them with curry.

    Ingredients
    for 40 mandazis
    3 cups all-purpose flour(375 g), plus more for dusting
    ½ cup sugar(100 g)
    1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    2 teaspoons ground cardamom
    ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    1 egg, beaten
    13 ½ oz coconut milk(400 mL), 1 can
    oil, for frying

    Preparation
    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt.
    Make a well in the center, then use a rubber spatula to mix in the egg and coconut milk until the dough comes together.
    Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Dive the dough into 4 portions.
    Roll out 1 portion of dough into a circle about ¼-inch (6 ml) thick. Cut into 8 triangles. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
    Heat the oil in a large pot until it reaches 350˚F (180˚C).
    Working in batches, fry the mandazi for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
    Serve as breakfast or a snack with Kenyan coffee or chai.
    Enjoy!

  • How is Matoke Prepared?

    Matoke is a dish originating from Uganda as wellasthe highlands of gusii rigion in kenya. Theyare a very popular dish among Kenyans. Though the original recipe from Uganda uses unripe bananas as the main ingredient, Kenyans have their own version with an addition of the readily available potatoes and sometimes with arrow roots. It is a quick fix for when you do not have a lot of time to cook.
    Ingredients

    • 8 medium size bananas (not quite ripe yet)
    • 4 potatoes
    • 2 pounds of beef, chopped
    • 3 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 carrots, cubed
    • small bunch of coriander, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon of salt
    • 1 tablespoon curry powder
    • Vegetable oil
      Instructions on Preparation
    • Prepare the ingredients by covering your hands with cooking oil, then peel the unripe bananas – The oil helps your hands from getting sticky from the bananas.
    • Peel the potatoes and cut them into even wedges
    • Put the beef in a cooking pot with a pinch of salt and add one cup of water, then place on heat and cover. Let it boil for 30 minutes till the meat is tender.
    • Drain the broth that is remaining and put aside, preserve it for soup later. Add oil to the meat and heat for a few minutes as you stir to mix, then add the onion. Let the onions fry with the meat for 3 minutes then add tomatoes and carrots, stir to mix, then cover and simmer until the tomatoes have softened.
    • Add the bananas and the potato wedges to beef and stir. Then add the preserved meat broth from the initial boil for soup, if not enough, add additional water as desired.
    • Add coriander and curry powder. Cover then let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the bananas and potatoes are soft.
    • Remove from heat and serve hot
  • How is Pilau Rice Prepared? Simple Pilau Recipe

    A wedding in Mombasa without Pilau is a big jock. Pilau is a traditional meal among the coastal people of Kenya and Tanzania. It is a fragrant rice dish cooked using whole organic spices, beef, chicken or mutton, and is commonly served with Kachumbari – the Kenya version of Salad.
    Make authentic Kenyan Beef Pilau at home with this traditional Recipe from Samosa.co.ke. By slowly caramelizing your onions and toasting your whole and ground combination of spices, you will achieve the deep brown color and rich aroma that defines this spiced rice.
    Ingredients

    • 2 cup long grain basmati rice
    • 4 cups water
    • 1 onion, sliced
    • ½ chicken, sliced into bite-size pieces
    • Vegetable oil
    • 4 cloves, whole
    • 2 cinnamon sticks, whole
    • 5 cardamoms, whole (lightly smash for stronger smell and taste)
    • 9 black peppercorns, whole
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon of each ginger and garlic, crushed
    • 2 peeled potatoes (optional)
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions on Preparation

    • In a cooking pot, add onions and vegetable oil and cook until the onions start to brown.
    • Add all whole spices and fry for 1 minute.
    • Add chicken and fry for 6 minutes.
    • Add potatoes (optional) and water and bring it to boil.
    • Add salt to taste
    • Once the water boils, add rice and simmer until the rice is a little wet, not completely dry.
    • Place the cooking pan in an oven, cover it and let it cook in a little water so it doesn’t become completely dry.
    • Serve hot with salad, gravy, chili or Kachumabri.

  • How to Cook One Cup of Ugali?

    Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, bogobe, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn flour and also other types of flour.
    Ugali is the most common staple food in Kenya. It is a polenta-like dish, made from maize, millet or sorghum flour, added to boiling water and cooked until it becomes a dense block. It is usually eaten with meat stew, Nyama Choma (Roasted beef or mutton) or most commonly with Sukuma Wiki (cooked kale). It is a well-known energy-giving and body-building food.
    Ingredients (Serves 2 people or more)

    • 1.5 cup maize (corn) flour
    • 2 cups water

    Preparation Methods
    Boil water until it bubbles. The water should be very hot. This ensures the Ugali will cook perfectly
    Add a cup of maize flour into the water. Let it cook a few seconds until water starts to cover the flour
    Use a wooden spoon to quickly start mixing the flour and water
    Add a handful of flour and continue to mix the water and flour it will start to come together
    Reduce heat to medium and keep turning the Ugali as it continues to stick together
    Gather the Ugali and press it onto the side of the Cooking pot
    Place the wooden spoon under the Ugali and form into a ball in the middle of the cooking pot
    Repeat pressing the Ugali on the side of the cooking pot and turning it to the middle
    Once the Ugali has become firm, turn it once more and smoothen it into a round. You will know your Ugali is ready once you start to smell the aroma clearly
    Place the cooked Ugali over onto a plate
    Dip the wooden spoon into water and use it to smooth the Ugali into a ball on the plate
    Serve the Ugali whole or sliced. Enjoy with your favorite stew, meat, veggies, fish and more.

  • Kachumbari Salad Recipe; East African Salad

    For Kenyans, a Pilau dish is not complete without a side dish of Kachumbari. Kachumbari is a popular accompaniment for main dishes like Pilau and Nyama Choma (roasted beef or mutton) and Ugali.
    Kachumbari Salad is a fresh tomato, vegetable and onion salad relish that is popular in the cuisines of the African Great Lakes region. It is an uncooked salad dish that consist of chopped tomatoes, onions,vegetables, fruits and chili peppers.

    Ingredients

    • 4 large tomatoes
    • 2 medium onions
    • 1 bunch of coriander
    • 2 lemons
    • Salt
    • Vinegar (optional)
    • Chili pepper(optional)

    Preparation
    Clean the tomatoes and chop into small pieces and set aside.
    Dice the onions, finely chop the coriander and slice the lemons into halves.
    Kachumbari recipe step 1 (see photo)
    Place the ingredients in one bowl and gently mix.
    Squeeze the lemon juice into your kachumbari and mix again adding a pinch of salt and the vinegar to taste.
    Leave to set for 13 minutes.

  • Making a Buttery Glazed Donut Burger

    This donut burger (or sometimes called the Luther Burger) is made with buttered and toasted glazed donuts (Krispy Kreme or your favorite kind), a beef patty, cheese, and bacon, to give you the most delicious, burger recipe you’ve ever had.
    5 from 9 votes

    PREP TIME 5 minutes mins
    COOK TIME 10minutes mins
    TOTAL TIME 15minutes mins

    CUISINE American
    SERVINGS 3 burgers
    CALORIES 748 kcal
    INGREDIENTS
     1 pound ground beef or 3 hamburger patties
    3 glazed donuts
    3 slices american cheese or preferred cheese
    3 slices bacon
    2 tablespoons butter spreadable butter works best
    1 tablespoon butter optional, for cooking burgers
    5 teaspoon salt or preferred amount
    5 teaspoon pepper or preferred amount

    Instructions on Preparatiuons
     Prepare Burger Patties
    Begin by patting out 3 burger patties, out of 1 pound of ground beef (or use 3 pre-pattied burgers)
    Season burger patties with salt and pepper.
    Cook Burger Patties
    If cooking in a skillet (see blog post for other cook methods) over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet large enough to hold all of your burger patties.
    Place seasoned burgers in skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes and then flip. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the juices run clear.
    If making cheeseburgers, melt cheese on top of cooked burgers and set aside.
    Cook Bacon
    If topping with bacon, cook bacon to desired doneness. (see post for favorite cook methods) If cooking bacon in same skillet, cook on low heat for 10 minutes, flip and cook other side for 5-10 minutes until fully cooked. Set aside.
    Prep Donut Buns
    Slice glazed donuts in half, creating a top “bun” and bottom “bun”.
    Spread the insides of the donuts with butter, preparing for toasting.
    In a clean skillet (or simply pour out bacon grease and meat drippings out of first skillet) and place buttered-side down on skillet, over medium heat. Toast for 2-3 minutes on the buttered side until golden brown.
    Assemble Donut Burger
    Place cheeseburger on top of bottom bun, top with bacon and top with other glazed bun half. Repeat for remaining donut burgers. Top with additional ingredients if desired. (See blog post for more ideas.)

    NUTRITION
    Serving: 1burger | 
    Calories: 748kcal | 
    Carbohydrates: 12g | 
    Protein: 34g | Fat: 62g | 
    Saturated Fat: 28g | 
    Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | 
    Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | 
    Trans Fat: 3g | 
    Cholesterol: 173mg | 
    Sodium: 1142mg | 
    Potassium: 487mg | 
    Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | 
    Vitamin A: 558IU | 
    Calcium: 253mg | 
    Iron: 3mg

  • THE TASTY KENYAN LEMON MANDAZI

    Serves 3-4:
    yield 16 medium mandazis

    Ingredients:
    1 cup self-rising flour
    ½ cup of warm water
    2 tbsp of sugar
    ¼ tsp salt
    1 tbsp margarine
    1 tsp vanilla essence
    Zest of 1 medium lemon
    Extra flour for dusting
    Icing sugar optional (to garnish)

    For all-purpose flour use 1 cup to 1 tsp baking powder.

    Method of Preparation:

    1. In a bowl sift in the flour or beat the flour with a dry fork or whisk to remove any lumps. (This step just helps to aerate the flour making it light and fluffy to better absorb the ingredients.)
    2. Combine the margarine(room temperature) with the flour and mix together to make some sort of small breadcrumb lumps
    3. Create a well in the center and add, sugar, salt, vanilla essence and the grated lemon zest.
    4. Gently add some warm water in the center and mix with a fork as you dissolve the sugar start folding in the flour from the from the center as you gently pour in the water.
    5. Once the dough has loosely come together, start to knead it with your hands. see
    6. On a clean surface, sprinkle some extra flour and start to work your dough kneading it until it is soft and elastic… This will take about 10 or more minutes of serious kneading
    7. Once your dough is soft and semi stretchy, let your dough rest. Place it in a bowl greased with very little oil, so your dough doesn’t stick, cover the dough directly with Clingfilm and cover the bowl with a warm damp cloth. Rest it for about 10 minutes.
    8. Divide your dough into 4 balls this depends on the size of mandazis you want. Less division if you want the large mandazis.
    9. Cover the other divided sections, and start rolling out one of the balls and cut it into whatever shape you fancy. I cut mine in to triangular shape by rolling the dough into a circle and cut it half way lengthwise, then across to make four quarters
    10. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown on all sides.
    11. Drain and serve warm sprinkled with some icing sugar.
  • The Best Kenyan Mahamri Recipe

    The Best Kenyan Mahamri Recipe

    These tasty Kenyan donuts have been around for decades. You can find these delicious donuts in large urban areas and among the Swahili people of the coast counties including Mombasa. It’s safe to say that these are an all time favorite in Nairobi.

    Item Amount
    Egg, beaten 1
    Sugar ½ cup
    Milk ½ cup
    Butter, melted 2 tablespoons
    Flour 2 cups
    Baking powder 2 teaspoons
    Oil For frying
    Cardamom 1/2 teaspoon
    Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
    Sugar 2 tablespoons

    Procedure on Preparation

    1. Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing them together.
    2. Mix eggs, sugar, milk, butter, flour, and baking powder together, adding more flour if necessary. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
    3. Roll the dough on a lightly floured board until it is about 1/4 inch think.
    4. Cut into triangles and fry in hot oil.
    5. Fry until both sides are golden brown. Remove mahamri from oil and drain on paper towels or newspaper.
    6. Meanwhile, combine cardamom, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl.
    7. Sprinkle seasonings on freshly fried mahamri and serve warm.
  • The Meaning of Cholesterol

    Cholesterol is basicaly a waxy, hard fat-like substance found naturally in your cells and produced by your liver. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods.
    While it is essential for vital bodily functions, very high levels of Cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
    Eating excess saturated fat can increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, or “bad” cholesterol. Health experts agree that people should limit saturated fat and replace them with more nutritious, healthier alternatives.
    Please Note that;
    Eating cholesterol-rich foods may not significantly raise cholesterol levels in most people because your body compensates by reducing its natural production.
    Some high cholesterol foods, like eggs and full-fat yogurt, may be part of a healthy diet, but processed meats and fried foods may harm your health and should be limited.
    Adopting healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating more fiber, increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking, may lower LDL cholesterol levels and improve heart health.

    What causes high cholesterol?
    The most common cause of high cholesterol is an unhealthy lifestyle. This can include:
    Unhealthy eating habits, such as eating lots of saturated fats. These fats are found in red meats, full-fat dairy products, chocolate, some baked goods, and many deep-fried and processed foods. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
    Lack of physical activity, with lots of sitting and little exercise. This lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol.
    Smoking, which lowers HDL cholesterol, especially in women. It also raises your LDL cholesterol.
    Stress, which may raise levels of certain hormones such as corticosteroids. These can cause your body to make more cholesterol.
    Drinking too much alcohol, which can raise your total cholesterol level.

  • The Meaning of coconut

    coconut is a large fruit with a hard shell and edible white flesh inside containing a milky liquid.
    It is a versatile tropical fruit that is highly valued for its distinct flavor and numerous applications. It features a hard, fibrous outer husk surrounding a large, round seed with a rich, creamy white flesh inside.