Month: February 2012

Crunchy Pancakes

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I love cooking pancakes on Saturday mornings when not in a hurry to go to work.
This recipe is no only simple to cook but also crunchy at the edges.

– 2 1/2 cups wheat flour                                         – 2 tablespoons sugar
– Pinch of salt                                                         – 1 freshly squeezed orange
– 1 teaspoon baking powder                                   – 1 egg
– 1 cup of water or milk                                          – Oil

Here is how to prepare them:
1. In a bowl, mix the flour, pinch of salt, sugar and baking powder.
2. Add the water or milk and mix thoroughly until there are no lumps.
3. Put the frying pan on heat to warm up.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then pour into the mixture of flour.
5. Add the freshly squeezed orange juice and mix.
6. Spread little oil onto the pan then pour the mixture. Cook on that side until a little brown and hard enough to be turned over. Pour just enough to cover the bottom of the pan thinly so that they are not too big.
7. Flip and cook the other side as well.
8. Spread oil all over the side of the pancake. Turn over and apply oil on the other side.
9. Let cook for about two minutes to absorb the oil then remove from pan.
10. Repeat same procedure with the remaining mixture.
11. Serve.

The milk and baking powder are optional. Water will still do the trick. I once forgot to add the baking powder but the pancakes were still tasty. I find that the level of crunchiness at the edges depends on the amount of fresh orange juice I add. Also, taste the mixture before pouring on the pan to avoid too much sweetness.

Beef, Cabbage & Plantain stew

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I had promised to share a stew recipe of vegetables and beef, cooked by boiling only. I was taught this by an aunt of mine who had previously lived among a certain community in Kenya known for their vast cultivation of plantains. She told me that the community has been cooking the dish for decades. In the rural areas, they use an earthenware pot.
To be honest, the first time I heard the cooking procedure, I was surprised. How could anyone prepare a stew consisting of beef, plantains, potatoes and big chunks of cabbages by simply boiling?
It was on a Sunday morning and she left for church. I stayed at home. Her husband also remained behind and she told me and the house help that in case we needed assistance, we should ask her husband who was doing office work in the house. Apparently it is such an easy procedure he could easily do it too.
Since the food is boiled for a long period of time, we multi- tasked; cooking and doing the house chores. We lit a jiko(charcoal stove) and gathered all the ingredients. This was the beginning of my idea of cooking food by boiling only. Here we go:
Serves 4
•      6 -8 plantains
• 6-8 full potatoes
•      1 kg beef/ goat meat
• 1 cabbage cut into 4 quarters
•      3 tomatoes
•1 onion (or 2-3 stems of spring onions)
•      Salt
•Curry powder/Royco (optional)
•      Green bell pepper (optional)
•4-5 cups of Water
At times when I go visiting them, I notice that my uncle likes eating the dish as it is without any accompaniment except some fruit salad. I prefer serving it with Ugali(maize/corn flour mixed with water over a period of time until firm). Click here for the ugali recipe.
Method:
1.   In a large sauce pan, put the chunks of meat and add enough water so that you do not add any more during the cooking process. You’ll get to learn how much water you need for your dish if you cook frequently.
2.   Let the meat boil for about one hour thirty minutes. You can add salt at his point or wait and add later after adding the other ingredients.
3.    Add the potatoes, cover and continue boiling for about seven minutes.
4.    Add the peeled plantains and avoid stirring frequently so that the potatoes and plantains do not crumble. Boil for a further seven minutes.
5.    Arrange the quartered cabbages on top and cook till the cabbages are soft.
6.    Add chopped tomatoes, onion and bell pepper and cook till done. Stir to mix all the ingredients.
7.    Add curry powder or royco if desired.
8.    Serve hot.
You will notice that the big chunks of quarter cabbages will be fully cooked.
You will not use any oil in the dish. Meat contains animal fat which is enough.
Notice that the ingredients are added ACCORDING to how long each takes to cook. Meat and potatoes take a longer time than tomatoes and cabbages.
The more you cook this dish, the more you will be able to adequately measure the amount of water needed. The 4-5 cups stated is an estimate since it also depends on the amount of heat you use. I would suggest you use medium heat.
So, there you go. Try it.

Vegetable salad

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During the Christmas period, our family came together although most of them turned up on the eve of Christmas due to public transport problems. many of us do not own personal cars and so just like the rest of the Kenyan public, we hard to bear with the hiked prices on public service vehicles. A number opted to travel on the eve and day of Christmas but that wasn’t such a good idea because it was at that time that prices were thrice the usual cost.
On the festive  day, cooking, which is usually a big part of such events started late. One of my cousins we were to cook with traveled that day. We started with the chapattis, which are cooked in almost every household during celebrations, then rice and later the stews.
Instead of preparing the all-too-common Kachumbari (salad consisting of tomatoes, onions and salt) I offered to prepare this salad. I had been forced to look for some of the items some two days earlier because there was a scarcity in the market . I had picked the lettuce from a supermarket only found in the district headquarters town, and due to the hot weather had to make sure it was very well preserved.
These are the few items I used:
–          – Lettuce                                       – Tomatoes                                  – Onions
–          – Salt                                             – Oil                                             – Avocado (tiny pieces)
–          – Green/red Bell pepper                -Grated carrot
I chopped and mixed all of them in a big bowl. The avocado and tomatoes were very fresh because I got them straight from the garden. Oh, I also ate so many mangoes daily since they were available at no cost and I could eat as much as I wanted. 
The older generation more than loved it. Of course most of my cousins knew how to prepare the salad, only that they don’t do it a lot due to what they refer to as ‘a lot of work’

Easy Lentils and French Bean Soup

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This recipe has been on my menu for the past six months. I tried it once by simply gathering all ingredients in the kitchen I could find one evening. I shared it with one of my relatives who also loved it.

I use dry lentils.

Ingredients:
– 1 large onion                        – 2 cloves crushed garlic                  -Crushed ginger
– 2 carrots                               – 5 medium sized potatoes               – French beans
– Boiled lentils                        – 3 tomatoes                                     – Curry powder/Royco
– Pepper (optional)                – Oil

After boiling and draining the lentils;
1. In a covered saucepan, saute onions for about three minutes on medium heat.
2. Add crushed garlic, ginger and pepper and cook for two minutes.
3. Add chopped potatoes and carrot. Stir every few minutes to prevent potatoes from sticking to cooking pot.
4. After cooking for about ten minutes, add chopped tomatoes and french beans.
5. With the potatoes half-way cooked, add lentils & cook for seven minutes until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
7. Add salt and curry powder to your taste. Cook for a minute then add enough water to make soup.
8. Serve.

The first time I cooked this meal, I served it with chapati.

I believe you’ll love it too. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. And share it with your family & friends.

Collard greens & Spinach

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In Kenya, collards are very popular and almost every household cooks them. They are commonly referred to as Sukuma wiki, meaning ‘push the week’. They are mostly served with ugali, the staple food.
Most households have a recipe they prefer to others, but the most common ingredients are four- the collards, tomatoes, onions and oil. There would be no need to add water if enough tomatoes are used.

I personally love cooking this dish, especially in the evening when I get home tired, because it is quick to prepare. I put water in a saucepan and place on heat to boil as I clean the vegetables.

However, adding spinach and a few spices makes it more delicious and enjoyable. Meat can also be added or cooked alone as a thick stew. Others cook a side dish of eggs with tomatoes. For this recipe, we shall cook the collards with these other vegetables.

Serves 3
Ingredients:

  • 5-7 leaves of spinach 
  • 5-7 leaves of sukuma wiki/collard greens
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Oil & salt

Method:
1. Wash and then chop both the collards and spinach in same large bowl.
2. Place oil in sauce pan and heat.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook till translucent.
4. Add crushed garlic and cook for a further one minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till they form a paste. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and cover.
6. Cook for between seven to ten minutes until the greens are soft. If too dry, add a little water or stock.
7.  Remove from heat and serve.

This simple dish can also be served with rice.
A little crushed ginger can also be added together with the garlic. Any curry powder could also be added either after the onions and garlic or after the greens.

Next, I’ll share with you a collard recipe mixed with meat/beef.
Hope you enjoy this.

Pumpkins for breakfast

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I had pumpkins for breakfast today. They are easy to cook since they only need to be boiled with a little salt.

Cut the full pumpkin into quarters or smaller wedges. You may peel them if you wish though I prefer cooking with the skin on.Put them in a cooking pot with water slightly above the pieces. Sprinkle a little salt, cover and put to boil.

Continue boiling until they are tender (pierce with a fork to check). Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate to cool. Serve with tea.

In our rural home, and many other regions in Kenya and Africa, the pumpkin leaves are cleaned and used to cover the boiling pumpkins, and then a lid to cover the mouth of the most commonly used earthen pot. This a pot molded from clay which is also used to cook other dishes and for storing drinking water. Believe me, the water is always cool even during the very hot seasons. It is called Jungu in Kiswahili.

Boiled only beef/chicken stew

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Considering that today most of us eat unhealthy foods compared to our grandparents and great-grandparents, I think it is good that we try as much as possible to reduce our intake of these foods.
I don’t like using a lot of cooking fat or oil when cooking, although some dishes require it especially those that have to be dip-fried. Lately, I have been trying to come up with some easy recipes that can be cooked by methods like boiling, steaming and baking.

I have found that soups that include beef and chicken can be cooked by boiling only and the end-product is very delicious. Also, boiling does not require a lot of attention and I can actually multitask; I can be doing my laundry on a Saturday morning while boiling away some lunch soup/stew, githeri(mixture of beans/peas and maize), or muthokoi(beans/peas and maize without the husks). Githeri and muthokoi cooked using dry maize and beans take longer periods to cook than the stews.

There are those who soak the maize and beans overnight then boil for a few minutes the following. I DO NOT do this because the food is not usually as delicious compared to that which has been boiled for two or three hours depending on the amount.

Anyway, this post is not about cooking maize and beans/peas but boiled stew. One of my favorite is a mixture of beef, potatoes, plantains, cabbage and other vegetables. I’ll however post this recipe later.
Let me share this simple beef/chicken stew with you. It is similar to the other that I will post later.

The idea is to start with the ingredients that take a much longer time to cook, in this case, meat. Those that take the least time are added at the end.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kg beef/chicken
  • 4 large potatoes cut in half
  • 3 large tomatoes
  • 1 bunch coriander/dania (optional)
  • Royco

Procedure:

  1. Put chopped meat into a coking pot and add about 3 cups of water. Bring to boil.
  2. Boil for about thirty minutes until they are almost tender.
  3. Add the potatoes, cover and cook until the a fork can pierce the potatoes without crumbling.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and dania. Add some little royco/curry powder of your choice and cook till both the potatoes and tomatoes are cooked.
  5. Add the rest of the royco and salt and let boil for five minutes.
  6. Serve 

Other spices can be added instead of the royco like ground garlic or ground coriander if the fresh alternative is not used. At this point, add only those spices that are in ground form sice they would not require a lot of cooking.
The stew can be served with chapati, rice, mukimo, boiled plantains, or even served as an accompaniment of the githeri (whose easy recipe I will post later).
You can experiment with other ingredients and vegetables to your liking but remember to always start with those that take longer time to cook.

Egg Toast

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This is another very easy toast recipe I prefer for Saturday and Sunday mornings.
I like it since it is not only tasty but also because I can make a good number of toast slices using few eggs, even as few as three or four.
I hope you like it too. Put little salt or none at all depending on your preference. Be cautious not to cook the eggs for long, although this could also depend on what you like.
Here is what you will need:

– Beaten eggs
– Slices of bread
– Salt
– Oil

This simple breakfast requires you to be near the kitchen so that the eggs do not burn.

1. Place frying pan on medium heat.
2. Add very little oil on the pan and once a little warm, pour two spoon of beaten egg.
3. Immediately place a slice of bread on egg and let cook for a minute.
4. Remove slice from the pan and add a spoon of oil again.
5. Pour two spoon of egg and place the same slice of bread but on the other side. Cook for a minute till egg is done.
6. Repeat same process with the other slices of bread.
7. Serve with the drink/beverage of your choice.

How to Make Bread Toast without a Toaster

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When I didn’t have a toaster, I enjoyed these toasted bread slices for breakfast for a long time. I prefer spreading some little margarine on the bread though they’d still be okay without.

Needed:

  • Slices of bread
  • Margarine (optional)
  • Skillet/Flat frying pan

Procedure:
1. Put dry frying pan on heat to warm.
2. Spread margarine on both sides of the slices.

3. Once the skillet is warm enough, place the slices and let them cook till browned on both sides. Do not leave them on one side for long to prevent charring.

5. Serve with a beverage of your choice.

This easy breakfast is ideal even when you have a lot to do in the morning as you prepare to go to work or school.

Quick Bean stew

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In a number of estates in Nairobi, it is common to find food vendors selling cooked Githeri, beans and green grams. You can eat the Githeri as it is or cook further with additional ingredients. Whenever I get home feeling tired, I buy from these food vendors then quickly fry them at home.

For the beans, here is a simple and easy to cook recipe. You can serve with rice, chapati or ugali.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup boiled beans, drained
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 spring onion
  • Royco/curry powder
  • 1 bunch dania/coriander
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Oil

Method:
1. Heat oil in a cooking pot.
2. Add chopped onions and saute for about three minutes on medium heat.
3. Add crushed garlic and cook for two more minutes
4. Add tomatoes and dania, then cook till they form a paste.
5. Add royco/curry powder, stir and cook for about two minutes. Do not let them stick to the  cooking pot.
6. Add beans and stir to mix all the ingredients. Cook for about ten minutes stirring every five minutes to avoid sticking to pot.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Taste for salt because of the royco, and if not enough add then simmer for about seven minutes.

Also, you can add green bell pepper and eggplant to the recipe. After adding the crushed garlic, add the bell pepper & cook till soft. Add the tomatoes, coriander and eggplant together but do not cook for long without adding a little water since the eggplant may absorb the oil. Add the other ingredients as above.