Recipe: Viazi Karai | Viazi Karanga
Viazi Karai, Pack Potatoes or Viazi Karanga is a popular street food in Mombasa. Karai here refers to a basin or huge bowl or wok. Viazi in Kiswahili means potato. Boiled potato pieces are dipped in a batter of chickpea and plain flour, deep fried and enjoyed either with coconut chutney or tamarind chutney also known as ukwaju sauce/chutney.
A Bit About Viazi Karai
Come evening time and you’ll find women in the old parts of Mombasa or the slum areas sitting at their doorsteps preparing viazi karai, dal bhajia, for people to buy them as a snack before returning home after a hard day’s work. When I was teaching at Coast Academy, Mombasa, we hasd a littler kiosk just outside our school gate. The lady would make early morning tea, chappati mahamri etc for breakfast. We use to place an order of viazi karai with her before starting our classes . Come break time and piping hot viazi karai would appear in our staff room for all the teachers to enjoy. What I liked about her recipe was that she would stuff the potatoes with a red chilli garlic chutney and then fry them.
Others mostly sell it without the stuffing. The viazi karai that my kids would get from their school canteen was plain without the red chilli garlic chutney. At first glance it looks like bateta vada but trust me it is different.
Event: Guest Post For Sizzling Tastebuds
Whenever I’m approached to do a guest post, I get really excited as it gives me the opportunity to share a bit of me with the blogger and vice versa. Also get to learn about different cuisine and ideas too. So when Kalyani asked if I would be a guest on her blog, Sizzling Tastebuds, I obliged willingly.
Kalyani’s Blog
Kalyani has a wide selection of healthy, vegan Vegetarian recipes. Check out a healthy chaat using moong .I’m waiting to get some fresh crunchy purple cabbage to try out her Bolivian Purple Cabbage Salad. Do you want to try a healthy dessert? Then check out the Vegan Chilli Chocolate Mousse. It is quite easy to manoeuver through her blog as under each title she has sub titles.
I’ve been several times to Mumbai and have not had a chance to meet Kalyani. However, next trip definitely planning to meet her. From what little interaction I’ve had with her through the various groups, she is a very polite, helpful and courteous person.
Her Request
Kalyani wanted me to share on her blog a traditional recipe. I already have quite a few traditional Gujarati recipes on my blog so asked her if I could share a bit of the Mombasa tradition with her and she immediately agreed. As a result the popular Mombasa Street Food found its way to Kalyani’s Blog. But before I share the recipe, let me share a bit about Mombasa.
A Bit About Mombasa
Mombasa, the oldest city of Kenya, was inhabited but the families of the Twelve Nations (Thenashara Taifa),the keepers of the Swahili tradition.The first European to visit Mombasa was Vasco Da Gama. Mombasa being a coastal town with a natural harbour naturally attracted many travelers and invaders too.
It is believed that Mombasa was founded in 900 A.D. It was an important trading centre for spices, gold and ivory. Along with that it is believed that it was also a centre from where slaves were exported. Trade was carried out with countries like China, Indian Subcontinent, Persian Empire, the Arabian Peninsula. 2 years after Vasco Da Gama’s visit to Mombasa it was invaded by the Portuguese. They built the famous Fort Jesus which was captured by the Omani and came under the rule of the Imamate of Oman. It returned to the Portuguese rule for a brief period before it came under the British Protectorate. It became the main capital and sea terminal for the famous Uganda Railway. To build this railway beginning from Mombasa to Kisumu on the shore of Lake Victoria, many Indians were brought from British ruled India.
After Independence in 1963, many Indians brought to East Africa by the British Empire, decided to remain in Africa and began life there, mostly as traders.
Mombasa Food Culture
Geographically, Mombasa is blessed with abundance of fresh fruits like mangoes, bananas, pineapples, passion fruits, water melons etc to name a few, sea food, cashew nuts, coconuts.
All these factors have resulted in a special Swahili Cuisine has been influenced by the Arab, Indian, Portuguese and English culture. Everyone who visits Mombasa wants to try it. Famous for Chicken Tikka, kebabs, Mahamari, Mbaazi, Kaimati, haluwa, Mkati Sinia, Kashata, Viazi Karanga (Viazi karai), Mabuyu (baobab seeds), Achari (mango dried and then sugar or salt is added and sometimes red colour is added).
Mombasa offers you street food, Indian cuisine to a typical English meal( at the old colonial Mombasa Sports Club). Whoever visits Mombasa, doesn’t leave the island without sampling at least a few traditional dishes. Achari, Mabuyu and Mogo Crisps are often requested by relatives abroad.
Some Popular Mombasa Food Recipes You May Like
Ingredients Required For Viazi Karai
Potatoes
Best to use floury potatoes for this recipe. In Kenya I always use Meru Potatoes. Boil the potatoes and peel. Allow them to cool a bit before cutting them into chunks. If you use medium potatoes, cut them into halves. However, if the potatoes are large can cut them into quarters.
Chickpea Flour
Also known as besan, chane ka atta or unga wa ndengu. Need some for the batter.
Plain Flour
Some plain flour is added along with chickpea flour to make the batter. This helps the viazi karai to turn out crispy on frying. You may opt to add half quantity rice flour and half plain or all purpose flour.
Garlic
Fresh garlic peeled and minced is required for the filling. If you are making plain viazi karai then you don’t need the garlic.
Red Chilli Powder
To add to the filling and for the tamarind chutney.
Turmeric Powder
To add some to the batter. Also known as hardar, haldi, manjano.
Lemon Juice
Need some fresh lemon juice for the filling. Don’t need it if you are making plain viazi karanga.
Oil
For deep frying the popular street food.
Salt
Need to add some to the batter, the filling and the chutneys.
Water
For the batter and chutneys.
Fresh Coconut
Need some fresh grated coconut if you are going to make the coconut chutney.
Raw Mango
Peeled and cut into small pieces for the chutney.
Green Chilli
Add according to your taste to the coconut chutney.
Water
Need water to boil the potatoes, to make the batter, soak tamarind , cook the tamarind chutney and also some for the coconut chutney.
Tamarind
Need about 250g tamarind.
Sugar | Jaggery
To add some to the tamarind chutney.
Cumin Powder
Add some to the tamarind or ukwaju chutney.
Coriander Powder
Adds a deliciously earthy flavour to the tamarind or ukwaju chutney.
VIAZI KARAI | VIAZI KARANGA
Ingredients
- 8 medium potatoes boiled and peeled
FOR THE RED CHILLI GARLIC FILLING
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp salt
FOR THE BATTER
- ½ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp hot oil
- ½-⅓ cup water
- oil for deep frying
FOR THE COCONUT CHUTNEY
- 1 cup fresh coconut grated
- ¼ cup raw mango peeled and chopped
- 2-3 green chillis
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water
FOR THE TAMARIND OR UKWAJU CHUTNEY
- 250 g tamarind
- 4-5 cups water
- 2 tbsp jaggery powder or sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1-2 tsp red chilli powder
Instructions
PREPARATION OF COCONUT CHUTNEY
- Add the grated coconut, mango pieces, salt and chopped chilis into a blender jug. Add 1 cup water and blend.
- Remove the chutney into a serving bowl.
PREPARATION OF TAMARIND | UKWAJU CHUTNEY OR SAUCE
- Heat 4-5 cups of water till it boils. Add the tamarind and take the pan off the heat.
- Cover the pan and allow the tamarind to soak in the hot water for 30 minutes.
- Gently rub the tamarind in the water to remove all the pulp.
- Strain the mixture into a pan using a strainer or sieve. If required, add a cup of water.
- You should be left with tamarind fibers and seeds in the sieve.
- Add salt, cumin, coriander, red chilli powders and the jaggery or sugar.
- Heat the tamarind chutney over medium heat.
- Allow it to simmer gently till it becomes a little thick. You don't want it too thick.
- Allow the chutney to cool down completely before serving.
- Can store the remaining chutney in the freezer. It stays good in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
PREPARATION OF RED CHILLI GARLIC FILLING
- Mix the garlic, red chili powder, salt and lemon juice together.
- The filling should not be liquidy, should be a bit thick. If it becomes thin add a ½ tsp of chickpea flour.
PREPARATION OF THE BATTER
- Mix all the ingredients for the batter. Make sure it is a smooth batter. It should not be too thick or too thin.
PREPARATION OF VIAZI KARAI | VIAZI KARANGA
- Cut the potatoes into half or smaller pieces if they are too big.
- Using a butter knife smear on half of the potato with the garlic red chilli filling.
- Using the other half, sandwich the potato.
- Fill all the potato pieces.
- Heat oil for deep frying in a karai, wok or kadai over medium heat.
- Drop a small drop of the batter in the oil. If it sizzles and comes up immediately then the oil is ready.
- Coat the filled potato piece with the batter. Gently drop it into the hot oil.
- Add 2-3 batter coated potatoes into the oil, depending on how big your kadai, karai is.
- Fry the viazi till they becomes golden brown.
- Repeat with the remaining potato pieces.
- Serve hot viazi karai with the coconut chutney the red chili chutney if you have any left or with ukwaju chutney.
Notes
- Make extra red chili chutney to serve with the potatoes.
- Use small potatoes if you wish.
- If you use baby potatoes, no need to cut them into halves.
- Make a small slit and fill it with the red chutney.
- Adjust the amount of chillis, both red and green according to your taste.
- When you boil the potatoes, make sure they are cooked well and not raw.
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If you do try this recipe then please either
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