Kenyan Food: 12 Traditional Dishes of Kenya
Kenya is a country in East Africa, with a coastline on the Indian Ocean. Famous for its landscapes and a popular safari destination, Kenya is home to the ‘Big Five’ – lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinos.
With over 40 ethnic groups, including the Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, Kalenjin, and Maasai, there are are huge variety of traditions, music, and cuisine.
Kenyan cuisine reflects its diverse cultural influences and the landscapes of the country. From the warm coastal regions, coconut-infused dishes draw on Swahili influences, to the highlands, where meat stews and maize-based dishes are popular.
Common ingredients include maize, beans, and potatoes, while spices like cardamom, cloves, and cumin add depth and flavor to many dishes.
Ugali
One of the most popular dishes in Kenya, Ugali is made from cornmeal which is added to warm water and heated until it slowly turns dense.
This dish looks like a thick and dense paste of cornmeal, with the consistency of a heavy dough. Locals are known to consume ugali with cooked vegetables or a saucy stew.
Kenyan Pilau
Kenyan Pilau is a combination of cooked rice with various spices like cloves, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.
The rice is usually consumed with a meat stew along with a few slices of tomatoes and onions. The spices used in the rice give this dish a unique, aromatic taste.
Nyama Choma
Nyama Choma is Swahili for grilled beef or goat. Nyama choma is slowly grilled over an open fire or using charcoal and is best served with ugali.
Fish and Chicken are also popular choma options.
Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a salad which is made of thin slices of fresh and ripe tomatoes, green and red peppers, onions, coriander and lemon juice.
Kachumbari is often served alongside nyama choma or pilau.
Githeri
Githeri is a very simple yet nourishing dish which comes from the Kikuyu community in Kenya. This dish is prepared by boiling and frying corn and beans, and serving alongside rice or chapatis.
Mukimo
Mukimo is made with mashed potatoes with added ingredients such as corn, spinach and peas, giving it a green color.
This potato dish is served as a side dish to any meaty stew, or other popular Kenyan dishes like Kachumbari salad.
Matoke
Matoke are a type of green banana found in East African, which are fried or mashed into a versatile side dish.
A popular form of matoke involves frying these bananas (while unripe) along with onions and tomatoes. This dish can then be topped with a stew or can be enjoyed as meal on its own.
Omena
Omena, or silver cyprinid, is a small ray finned fish. These are usually sundried and eaten as a snack or used as an ingredient for cooking.
This dish is particularly popular amongst the Luo community.
Ingoho
In western Kenya, the Lua community traditionally prepare ingoho by roasting a whole chicken until it is brown and braising with onions, spices and tomatoes.
Sukumawiki
Sukumawiki is made with Kale or Collard greens, which are braised with tomatoes and sautéed onions and finally seasoned with salt.
Sukumawiki can be served as a main dish or a side.
Mutura
Mutura is a blood sausage which is fire-grilled. This delicacy can be made from cow, lamb or goat intestines stuffed with a fresh blood mixture.
Mutura closely resembles Bratwurst but is much richer in flavour. Matura is also heavily seasoned and usually consumed as a night time snack.
Tangawizi
Tangawizi is a ginger flavored beverage popular in many West African countries.
Thhis drink is made by steeping ginger and spices in hot water, which are then removed and sweeteners are added. It should be chilled before serving to keep the temperature cool.
