Food and drink in Kenya
Drawn from various ethnic cultures and traditions fused with flavors absorbed from foreign countries, food and drink in Kenya are in a league of their own. They are also instrumental in cementing the collectivist nature that Kenyans are known for by bringing family and friends together.
The way food and drinks are prepared and presented in Kenya attests to the long-standing links and contacts that Kenya has had with Arab, European and Indian settlers. However, the flavors of Kenya are not eroded, with each of the 42 local tribes boasting their own traditional cuisine.
Common Kenyan Foods
An agriculturally fertile country, Kenya is not short of all kinds of vegetables and fruits. Although when visiting certain restaurants, the menu can be read as an international menu that includes foods such as French fries, hamburgers, and mac and cheese, as well as rice, pizza, chicken nuggets, and fish fingers.
The most traditional Kenyan foods include:
- cold -Also know as’Mukimo‘ Prayed ‘Kienyeji‘, a dish originating from the Kikuyu tribe. It is a combination of corn and beans, mashed with cooked plantains or potatoes.
- ugali – Corn cake made by stirring boiling water with ground cornmeal until hard to the touch. This is perhaps the most common staple food across all ethnic groups in Kenya. Cooked vegetables, fish, fried chicken and beef are the main accompaniments.
- Githeri – Common in the tribes of Kenya, it is a mixture of boiled beans and corn. Peas are sometimes used instead of beans to enhance the flavor.
- Wali – A dish from the coast, white rice cooked with coconut milk
- Ingoho – A popular dish among the Luhya tribe, Ingoho is fried chicken cooked with traditional herbs and spices. It is usually served with Ugali (the corn cake).
- Biriani – A favorite dish on the coast consisting of white rice cooked with cinnamon, parsley, garlic, onion, chopped carrots and tomatoes, beef or chicken, and raw feet. Mashed potatoes and vegetables usually accompany the dish.
- Chapati – Often eaten with stew, chapati is a pancake-like bread made on the grill.
- kachumbari – A very common garnish: a mixture of sliced raw tomatoes, parsley, green pepper and onion.
- nyama choma Prayed nyam chom – Perhaps the local favourite, nyama choma is charcoal-grilled meat (beef or goat) and is eaten as a party food or a meal among friends during weekends and nights out. Kachumbari (garnish made from tomatoes) is the most preferred side dish.
- Mandazi – They are golden donuts that are served with drinks, especially tea.
- samosas – Often taken with tea or kachumbari, it is a triangle-shaped fried dough filled with minced meat.
kenyan coffee
Coffee is to Kenya what wine is to France and vodka is to Russia the symbol of the country.
Grown, harvested and processed into mass production, coffee in Kenya, especially Arabica coffee, is perhaps the best quality coffee grown anywhere in the world. Although international coffee brands such as Nestlé have a significant market share in Kenya, Kenyan coffee dominates the local market.
Most Kenyans are torn between coffee and tea as both products are of high quality and readily available. For coffee, the preference is to drink it black (“kahawa chungu”) and it is usually mixed with ginger and a small amount of sugar.
Despite many years of using Kenyan coffee beans to make its signature coffee in its stores around the world, Starbucks has not established a store in Kenya. High-end coffee is sold in supermarkets and for those who savor its great taste outdoors, head to stores like Java and Dormans.
kenyan drinks
Although modern beverages such as fruit juices, canned energy drinks and international soft drinks are accessible and affordable, traditional beverages are served in Kenya.
- uji – Porridge based on millet or ground sorghum. Ground amaranth, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, fish fillets, etc. are mixed together to enhance nutrients and flavor.
- mursik – Originally from the Kalenjin community, it is made from fermented milk mixed with ground charcoal and special roots.
- madafu – Fresh coconut milk. Popular on the coast.
- wines – Often imported from – France, Italy, Chile, South Africa
- Beer – In addition to international brands, there are numerous local beer brands, the most popular being Tusker beer.
- Spirit – Local and international brands.
- local beers – Popular in rural areas and among the urban poor, local beers include Mnazi; made from the sap of coconut palms, Muratina; made of honey, Busaa; fermented barley, millet and corn, changaa and mongare.
Especially in rural areas, excessive use of alcohol and consumption by minors is considered immoral and disrespectful.
