The East African country, Kenya, is famous for its spectacular landscape and wildlife safaris. Kenyan food will also be a significant part of your tour. Here is a list of 17 traditional Kenyan food items, which you must try when you are in Kenya.
17 Traditional Food Items To Try out in Kenya
1. Ugali
Ugali is one of the most common food in Kenya. It is known as cornmeal staple. It is made out of cornmeal. Cornmeal is added into boiling water and heated until it converts into a block of cornmeal paste. It is dense and has a grainy consistency
2. Irio
Irio is the most famous Kenyan dish, which is a mix of mashed peas and potatoes. Potatoes and peas are boiled and mashed and added corn. It is served with roasted Nyama Choma meat.
3. Githeri
It is very easy to make the dish, which consists of boiled corn kernels, beans, and little vegetables. It is mixed with salt, pepper, and chillies. It is a highly nutritious food. People also eat it with chapatti.
4. Kenyan Pilau
It is a delicious Kenyan styled spiced rice dish. In this dish, rice is cooked with cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and cardamon. It is served with meat stew with some freshly chopped onions and tomatoes.
5. Wali Wa Nazi
Wali Wa Nazi is a type of coconut rice. In this dish, white rice is cooked with grated coconut. It is served with fish or chicken curry, vegetables or with bean stew.
6. Sukuma Wiki
It is one of the most famous vegetarian Kenyan dishes. It is made up of collard greens (Sukuma), leafy vegetables with tomatoes, onions, and some spices are cooked in oil. Mchuzi mix is sprinkled before serving delicious flavours.
7. Kenyan Stew
Kenyan stew is prepared with various kinds of meats, such as goat stew, beef stew, chicken stew, or other animal stew. It also is made with some base vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas, or peppers. It is eaten with a sauce that is made with tomatoes, onions, pepper, salt, and Mchuzi mix.
8. Nyama Choma (Pride of Kenyan Food)
If you are a food lover, then your trip to Kenya will remain incomplete till you try Nyama Choma. It is also known as roasted meat. This mouthwatering dish is prepared with varieties of meat, such as goat, beef, chicken, and fish.
9. Matoke
Matoke is also known as Plantain Banana Stew. To make this delicacy, plantain bananas are cooked inside a pot with some oil, onions, tomatoes, chillies, garlic, and lemon juice. Meat is an optional ingredient of this cuisine. It is cooked until the bananas convert into a thick sauce. It is enjoyed with rice, chapati, and ugali.
10. Chapati
Kenyan styled chapati or flatbread is made with flour dough. It is coiled before rolling into a flat circular shape. It is fried with oil on the skillet. It is fried till it gets crispy on the edges but it remains soft and moist from inside of the dough.
11. Kachumbari
It is a simple dish of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chilli peppers. Sometimes, foodies prefer to add avocado to the dish. Kachumbari is a type of Kenyan salad that elevates your main course’s flavors like Nyama Choma.
12. Kenyan Bajias
Kenyan Bajias is a lip-smacking dish made by potatoes. Potatoes are chopped in long strips. It is coated with seasoning and deep-fried. It is served with Kenyan tomato salsa.
13. Masala Chips
A plate of Masala Chips (French Fries Masala) contains tomato sauce, chilli sauce, vegetables, and cilantro. These are added and served with fries.
14. Chips Mayai
Chips Mayai is a french fries Kenyan omelette. It is a very famous Kenyan dish in which Kenyan chips are beaten egg and cooked. The extra addition of chilli sauce makes it delicious.
15. Mandazi
Mandazi is a popular street food in Kenya. It is also called as Kenyan doughnut. This dish can be smelled from a kilometre in the street. It is a perfect light breakfast with tea.
16. Mutura
Mutura is a protein-rich snack. It is a traditional Kenyan sausage that is enjoyed with beer. It is prepared from the goat’s or cow’s large or small intestines with seasonings like garlic, coriander, ginger, etc.
17. Grilled Maize
Grilled maize is tasty and one of the most popular snacks in Kenya. It is a quickly made food item. It is roasted maize which is garnished with mouth-watering flavors of chili lime salt.
Read also – 11 Types Of Tasty Pastries One Should Try
