What is Ugali? Ugali is like a porridge but much more dense made from white maize meal or maize flour. It is the staple diet of the indigenous people of East Africa. Also known as Nsima it is generally enjoyed with a vegetable and/or meat stew. People at the coast and around Lake Victoria enjoy it with fish. Ugali is also served with nyama choma which is grilled meat and kachumbari, a tomato onion salad. One of the most easiest dish to prepare, it is not only rich in fiber but also is a good source of carbohydrates, minerals and Vitamin B. And it is gluten free and vegan friendly. This post was first published on 25/10/2012 , renewed on 02/06/2021 Ugali Eating Etiquette Generally…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: ODIA PITHA RECIPE: CHANDRAKANTI PITHA Chandrakanti Pitha is a delicious dessert which is traditionally made in the Ganjam district of Odisha. Made from soaked moong dal and rice batter, the outer part is crispy and the inside soft and not too sweet.It tastes like moong halwa but with a crispy coating. One has the option to cut the cooked and set batter into any shape one desires. I stuck to the traditional square pieces. Alternately one can shape them into balls before deep frying. A bit about Pitha Pitha is not restricted to the state of Odisha only. One can find different kind of pitha in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam. Pitha is a type of food which can…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: RECIPES WITH UMAMI RECIPE: PATATAS BRAVAS Patatas Bravas is simply potatoes in a spicy sauce. In fact, it is a popular Spanish potato dish that is served as tapas. Actually an easy recipe, Patatas Bravas can be served as an appetizer or as a snack. Incidentally, the umami for this dish comes from the tomato paste and the fresh tomato puree. What is Umami? Umami or savoriness is the fifth taste sense. As a matter of fact the other four are sweet, bitter, sour and saltiness. Umami in Japanese means ‘essence of deliciousness’. Scientifically, umami refers to tastes of glutamate, inosinate, or guanylate. Glutamate or glutamic acid is a common amino acid in vegetable and animal proteins. Inosinate is mainly found…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: A- Z RECIPE CHALLENGE THEME : AN INGREDIENT BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER Y RECIPE: DAHI BHINDI/OKRA YOGURT CURRY Dahi Bhindi/Okra Yogurt Curry is creamy, slightly spicy and tangy curry that goes well with any Indian Flatbread like roti, paratha, naan or rice. An easy curry to prepare, it is a different way to enjoy okra or bhindi from the usual dry preparation. What is Okra? Okra also goes by the name lady’s fingers or gumbo. It is a flowering plant and okra is the edible seed pod of the plant. Did you know that it belongs to the same family as hibiscus and cotton? Popularly known as bhindi or bhinda in India, it is a favorite of many, young and old. Raw okra can…
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Continue ReadingRECIPE: BEETROOT VADA Beetroot Vada is a delicious, crunchy, spicy take on the traditional Sabudana Vada. Vada is fritters and in this case roasted or boiled beetroot is added to the traditional mashed potatoes, spices and soaked tapioca pearls mixture. Ideal snack option, for starters or as a part of a meal not only for fasting days but whenever you want to. While I’ve deep fried beetroot vada, you can by all means use an appe pan (aebliskiver pan) to make healthier versions or in an air fryer. The whole idea of adding beetroot to the traditional recipe came about when I had extra roasted beetroot in the fridge. I usually make sabudana vada on Ekadashi Fasting but wanted something different for a change. Serve…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: FROZEN TREATS RECIPE: PASSION FRUIT & TREE TOMATO ICE CREAM This Passion Fruit & Tree Tomato Ice Cream has been inspired from the regular fresh juices that one generally finds on restaurant menus in Kenya. In fact, I love passion fruit and tree tomato juice as it is so refreshing, aromatic and delicious. So, as expected this ice cream turned out just that, refreshing, aromatic and super delicious. Brief History of Ice Cream According to history an ice cream like produce was invented in China around 200BC. In fact, Milk and rice mixture was frozen by packing it in snow. Some say it was invented in Persia. It is believed that the Roman Emperor Nero had slaves collect ice…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: FOOD POETRY RECIPE: VEGAN THAI ICED TEA Vegan Thai Iced Tea is a creamy, refreshing and delicious beverage. What I like about this version of the authentic Thai Iced Tea is that it is not too sweet and is much lighter. Don’t get me wrong, I love the authentic one with sweetened condensed milk but cannot indulge in it on a regular basis. I’ve used coconut milk which adds a bit of the natural sweetness. As a result, the additional sweetener used is less. Street Food or rather Drink – Thai Iced Tea/ Cha Yen The Thai Iced Tea that is generally served on the streets of Thailand doesn’t have spices and usually is orangish in colour. The reason being…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: GARLIC LOVERS RECIPE: GARLIC PARMESAN HASSELBACK POTATOES Garlic Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes, so crispy from the outside, the middle is tender and soft like mashed potato. Coupled with the flavors of butter, garlic, olive oil, parmesan and chilli flakes these potatoes are to die for! What are Hasselback Potatoes? Hasselback Potatoes, Potato à la hasselbacken or Hasselbackspotatis are baked potatoes that are sliced till the middle and open up like a fan on baking. These were invented by a trainee chef Leif Ellison who worked at Hasselbacken Restaurant in Stockholm. Though pretty popular nowadays this side dish, starter was invented in 1953. They also go by name of Accordion Potatoes or Pillbug Potatoes. I know I’m pretty late in trying out this awesome addictive…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: COOKING WITH CHILES RECIPE: MIRCHI KA SALAN What is Mirchi Ka Salan? Mirchi Ka Salan, is a slightly spicy, creamy and tangy curry that is usually served with biryani or any other rice dish. It also can be served with any Indian Flatbread like roti, paratha, naan. Mirchi Ka Salan is one of the popular traditional Hyderabadi dishes. Mirchi is the Hindi name for Chiles or Chillis and Salan refers to a curry. Some prepare a thin curry while others like a thick creamy one. Generally, for this dish we do not use any of the thin or round, more hot variety of chiles/chillis. If possible it is best to use the Bhavnagri Chillis. However, if you don’t get Bhavnagri…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: CHIPS RECIPE: KACHRI BATETA/ BABU KACHRI Kachri Bateta/ Babu Kachri Kachri Bateta/ Kachri Babu is a tangy, lip smacking spicy potato stew served with a dry coconut mango chutney and topped with ganthia and crushed potato crisps or chips. first publish on 20/05/2012, updated & republished on 14/03/2021 What is Kachri Bateta/ Kachri Babu? Kachri Bateta, also known as Kachri Babu is a famous street food from Mombasa. In fact, it’s believed that this dish is influenced both by the Swahili and Indian Cuisine. Probably, the potato stew is of Indian origin but addition of grated or minced raw mango to the stew is from the Swahili cuisine. Specifically, the topping of ganthia or thick sev and potato crisps is…
