The merry-making season is here. You are likely to wilfully dent your pockets by putting luxury before your health. But remember you are what you eat.
This Christmas, Healthy Nation has built a list of healthy and affordable food suggestions, which will guide you on the foods to eat that will keep your health in check.
Christmas already happens to be a pretty expensive time of the year where people spend a lot of money on feasting, and this year, we’re looking to cook up a festive storm, but with some budget-friendly recipes.
Still a big feast, but without costing an arm and a leg!
Kenyan stew/nyama choma (roasted meat)
Pride of Kenyan food
Kenyan stew can include a number of different meats — beef stew, goat stew, chicken stew or any other animal stew. Stew dishes might also include a few other base vegetable ingredients such as carrots, peppers and peas.
Any Kenyan food list is not complete without a mention of nyama choma, also known as roasted meat. Goat and beef are the two most common forms of nyama choma, but chicken (kuku choma) and fish (samaki choma) are also valid choices.
Fat and the grizzle from the meat is the choice part of the animal, and is often consumed with a quick dip into a pile of salt for extra flavouring! There’s also the “fry” —the fried meat variation.
Ugali
It’s arguably the most popular dish not only in Kenya but on the African continent. This Kenyan food staple is made from maize flour, or cornmeal poured into boiling water and consistently mixed until it thickens and reaches a dough-like consistency.
You can still decide to make your ugali healthier by using milk instead of water and add some margarine. This will be more nutritious and tastier especially for children who are not fond of taking ugali.
COASTAL DISHES
Kenya’s coastal dishes are unique and recognised as some of the best throughout the country. However, depending on what foods are locally available and healthy in a particular area, there are distinct differences to be noted.
Pilau
Kenyan pilau
Pilau is a glorified combination of rice cooked with meat and spices. The fragrant rice is fantastic to eat with a form of chicken and beef as protein and a few slices of fresh tomato and onions.
It is one of the best-tasting meals during celebrations, and it’s a Kenyan staple dish that’s widespread in Eastern Africa. Considered as the Kenyan and more celebrated version of Nigeria’s jollof rice, this tasty dish is served during special occasions such as public holidays, weddings, and religious events like Eid or Christmas celebration.
When not planning to spend more money, you can try making pilau mwitu, where you use all spices such as cumin, cardamon, cinnamon and cloves and still have your flavoured coloured rice.
Wali wa nazi (coconut rice)
Instead of cooking rice in water, coconut milk lends it both fat and sweetness, making it richer than plain rice. To make it, replace half of the cooking water with coconut milk.
When cooked with coconut milk, you can think of it as the Kenyan version of Malaysian nasi lemak.
This Kenyan side dish owes its popularity to the abundance of coconut trees at the Coast. It goes perfectly with various curries or chicken, fish and other meat dishes.
Kuku paka
You will never have your chicken any other way once you try this recipe. It is one of the most delicious chicken recipes in the country. The process is easy and the result magical.
This is a simple chicken dish cooked in a flavourful coconut-based curry sauce. Also called kuku na nazi, it has Arabic, Indian, and African influences popular across the Coast.
The name is from a Swahili word kuku, which means “chicken”, and paka, meaning “to smear, spread or apply”.
The recipe mainly consists of coconut milk or coconut cream and curry spices. The key to this dish is to char-grill the chicken before mixing it in the sauce for that delicious and authentic smokey flavour. You can as well add potatoes and eggs to the mix depending on your taste.
Add a spritz of lime juice before eating to level up the dish. This can be done to meat and even fish.
Wali wa kukaanga
It’s made by frying boiled rice in oil and adding onions, turmeric, and vegetables such as carrots, corn, and peas. The dish is great when paired with a salad on the side and chicken dishes or meat.
It goes well for vegetarians who would want to enjoy their meals. The ingredients are easily available and affordable.
Chapati (Flatbread)
Kenyan chapatis are made with a flour dough that is wound into a coil before being rolled into a flat round circle. The dough is then fried on a skillet accompanied by oil so it becomes crispy on the edges but remains moist and doughy on the interior.
Chapati can be enjoyed on its own with ginger tea or paired with a variety of stews, meats, and vegetable dishes.
You can make delicious chapatis by adding butternut to improve the colour and taste. Instead of just using water alone, try mixing the dough using magazine — it is softer and healthy.
Matoke
Matoke refers to the fruit and the dish made from unripe highland bananas. They’re often prepared in a stew, on their own or as part of a heavier meal with beef.
Recipes for this Kenyan stew vary, but the bananas are typically stewed with onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, beef, spices, and other ingredients. Once the bananas turn soft, the dish is served, usually with beef stew.
Sukuma wiki (collard greens / kale)
This is one of the most popular vegetable Kenyan dishes (known as collard greens or a form of kale in English).
The literal translation of this dish’s name is “push the week” or “stretch the week” since the vegetable is generally affordable and widely available in the country throughout the year.
The nutritious green leafy vegetable is often cooked in oil with a few diced tomatoes, onions, cumin, coriander, saffron powder and flavoured with a sprinkle of mchuzi mix (Kenyan food secret flavouring salt or stock cube flavouring.
Pork chops, Mukimo and kachumbari
Mukimo
Mukimo is another Kenyan staple that’s predominantly from communities living around the majestic Mount Kenya. It’s made with mashed potatoes and greens with corn and/or beans. It goes well as a side for stews and grilled meat like nyama choma.
You can add margarine to the mixture to taste better.
Fish fry, curry
In areas closer to lakes, fish is one of the staple foods. Instead of preparing it the normal way, try fish curry done in coconut paste. This is one of the best ways of preparing the meal.
You can still deep-fry and serve with kachumbari, ugali or pilau. Fish is rich in nutrients like vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids and protein.
Bhajias
These are thinly sliced potatoes coated in a gram flour batter seasoned with herbs and spices like cumin, coriander, parsley, chilli powder, and ginger. Deep-fried till golden brown and crispy, they’re a popular street food in Kenya and mostly for occasions. They are easy to make and the ingredients are readily available and affordable
Bhajias are products of Indian culinary influence in Kenya. During the railway construction era, Indian workers provided the bulk of the skilled manpower required for construction. Many would later settle in the country and create Indian dishes that have become part of Kenyan cuisine.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes and cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a staple at the holiday table, and replacing them entirely with cauliflower mash isn’t the same. Try the 50/50 approach instead: Use half-white potatoes, half cauliflower.
First, you need roasted garlic. Roast garlic in Olive oil, then boil the potatoes and cauliflower in the same pot.
After 20 minutes, remove the pot from heat, drain water and return potatoes and cauliflower. Remove garlic cloves from the roasted garlic bulbs and mash in a bowl with the back of a spoon. Add mashed roasted garlic to potatoes and cauliflower, season with salt and pepper, and mash by hand with a potato masher. Taste and correct seasonings (salt and pepper). You can serve this with fried beef.
Chicken wings
Honey garlic chicken wings
Honey garlic chicken wings are oven-baked until crispy and coated in a sweet, sticky honey garlic sauce. These crispy baked chicken wings require no frying, unlike other recipes. The meat pieces are seasoned and baked to crispy perfection, then tossed in a sweet and savoury sauce full of flavour.
You can serve with fried rice and stir-fried veggies. BY DAILY NATION