Month: January 2012

Fruits Salad

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Having lots of fruits in the kitchen is not only healthy for your family but it can enable you quickly prepare a fruit salad to go along with your meals. It is common knowledge that daily intake of fruits and vegetables is good for your well being.

Fruits have lower levels of calories compared to other foods and therefore consuming them daily is not as risky as other foods.

This salad is simple to prepare and can be put together in the morning and carried to work or school.

Required:

  • 1 mango
  • Half slice of pawpaw
  • Half slice of pineapple
  • 1 beetroot
  • 3 bananas
  • 1 avocado
  • Quarter slice of water melon

Preparation:
Peel and cut all the fruits except the beetroot into small chunks and mix together in a large bowl.
Grate the beetroot into the bowl and mix evenly.

All the above fruits provide the body with various nutrients, mostly Vitamins. They help improve the immune system and appearance of the skin among many other benefits.

Fish stew

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Here is a simple recipe I like for cooking fish like tilapia. It doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare and can be served with ugali or rice.

Ingredients:
1. 1 whole fish, cleaned
2. 1 onion
3. 2 large tomatoes
4. Dhania/Coriander
5. Crushed ginger
6. Crushed garlic
7. Fresh lemon juice
8. Pepper (optional)
9. Royco

 Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, ginger and fresh lemon juice.
2. Slit the fish across two or three times depending on the size.
3. Insert the crushed garlic, ginger and lemon juice into the open slits.
4. Deep fry the fish on both sides till brown and cooked.
5. Saute onions in little oil in a cooking pot till transluscent.
6. Add tomatoes and dhania.
7. Add salt then cook till they form a paste.
8. In a bowl, mix & stir 1/2 cup of water and royco.
9. Add to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil.
10.Put whole fish into the pot then let cook for ten minutes on both sides.
11.Serve with fried rice or ugali.

Don’t cook the fish in the pot for too long so that it does not crumble.
Royco can be substituted with curry powder or any spice of your choice. You can also add it directly to the tomato paste without first mixing with water in a bowl.Curry powder doesn’t need to be mixed with water before adding to the pot.

Preventing pests in the Kitchen

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A kitchen being the focal point of food preparation should always be clean and free from all pests.
This doesn’t always happen and all necessary measure should be taken to ensure that it is spotless. A dirty kitchen can prevent visitors from eating anything in your house for fear of illness. Cockroaches running up and down your wall and rats racing across the room are unsightly. Remember there are people who fear these rodents and may even make for the door on seeing them.

To prevent this, ensure your kitchen is always clean. Clean up after every food preparation. No food particles should be left lying on the floor or counter tops. Do not return chopping items like boards and knives before washing with both soap and water. Water alone doesn’t remove all food grains. Scrub well at the ends of the board, especially if it is made of wood.

Remember to wash all utensils after every meal. Leaving them lying in the sink overnight attracts pests like cockroaches which are quite active at night. Some types of food, especially soups, may make the kitchen smell bad in the morning. Also, waking up to do the dishes is not the best way to start your day. Clean them up in the evening to have an easier time making breakfast.

Before going to bed, it is advisable to ensure that the kitchen bin for garbage is well closed. This will not only prevent rodents but also reduce the chances of mosquitoes raiding your kitchen.

The kitchen should be well ventilated, especially during the day. Clean the floor everyday and if you have a backyard, place the garbage bin outside. Do not leave stagnant water in the sink. Dry it up and put the damp cloth out to dry.

How to Fry Rice

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Rice is a very easy food to prepare. There are so many recipes available from differrent counties and communities. The rice can be white or brown, with the brown being more nutritious because it has more fibre than the white variety.
I will share this simple recipe I cook often and greatly love. I am certain you will love it too.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2kg Washed and drained white rice
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 2 Crushed garlic cloves
  • Oil
  • Water

Preparation:

  1. Add oil to a cooking pot and turn on the heat.
  2. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute until the onions turn light brown.
  3. Add enough water to cook the rice without draining. Bring to a boil.
  4. Pour rice to the boiling water and add salt to taste.
  5. Cook until done. Serve hot.

The cooked rice will have a light brown colour.  It can be served with a variety of stews and vegetables.It can also be eaten as a complete dish.

I love the fact that the recipe is easy to prepare and requires few ingredients. It is advisable to add salt so as to make it more delicious.

Karibu…Welcome…Bienvenue

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Hello and welcome. This is my first blog post.  I’ve started it to share my knowledge of cooking and kitchen ideas with everyone. Preparing food is a favourite pastime of mine and I love trying out new recipes with different ingredients and different cooking styles. Most of the recipes are my own. I’ve also tried to improve on ideas from other cooks I’ve met to make the food tastier and easier to prepare.
I’d love to get your feedback  and  where I can improve.  Share with me your ideas, I’d appreciate it.