Thursday, February 24, 2011

Recipe: Kuku Paka


Kuku Paka, or Kenyan chicken in coconut curry sauce is a fabulous dish from the East African coast. It is a perfect illustration of how African, Arab and Indian influences meld in the coastal region. Make Kuku Paka for yourself with this recipe:
  • Chicken, cut into pieces -- 3 pounds
  • Onion, chopped -- 1
  • Hot chile peppers, chopped -- 2 or 3
  • Ginger, peeled and chopped -- 2 tablespoons
  • Garlic, chopped -- 2 tablespoons
  • Oil or ghee -- 1/4 cup
  • Curry powder -- 1 tablespoon
  • Cumin seeds -- 2 teaspoons
  • Chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce -- 2 cups
  • Coconut milk -- 2 cups, or 1 (15-ounce) can
  • Salt and pepper -- to taste
  • Cilantro, chopped -- 1/2 cup
Add the onion, chiles, ginger and garlic to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add a little water if necessary. Heat the oil or ghee in a large pot or wok over medium flame. Add the onion puree, curry powder and cumin and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until cooked down. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the chicken, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Add more water as needed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with with rice or chapati.

For some variation, try the following:
  • For authentic flavor, grill the chicken pieces before stirring them into the simmering sauce. If you like, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
  • Some recipes add potatoes or hard-boiled eggs to the curry. The potatoes can be cooked ahead, cut into chunks and stirred into the curry toward the end.
  • Eliminate the hot chiles for a milder dish. Or substitute a chopped sweet bell pepper.
  • Reserve some of the coconut cream that gathers at the top of the can and stir it into the sauce at the very end for extra silky results.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Meeting People, Part 6: Age

Age

umri

How old are you?

Una miaka mingapi?

oo-na mee-a-ka meen-ga-pee

How old is your child?

Mtoto wako ana miaka mingapi?

m-toh-toh wa-koh a-na mee-a-ka meen-ga-pee

I’m…years old

Nina miaka…

Nee-na mee-a-ka…

He/She is…years old

Ana miaka…

a-na mee-a-ka

Too old!

Mzee mno!

m-zay m-noh

Numbers

0

Sifuri

See-foo-ree

1

Moja

Moh-ja

2

Mbili

m-bee-lee

3

Tatu

Ta-too

4

Nne

n-nay

5

Tano

Ta-noh

6

Sita

See-tah

7

Saba

Sa-ba

8

Nane

Na-nay

9

Tisa

Tee-sa

10

Kumi

Koo-mee

11

Kuma na moja

Koo-me na moh-ja

12

Kumi na mbili

Koo-me na m-bee-lee

13

Kumi na tatu

Koo-me na ta-too

14

Kumi na nne

Koo-me na n-nay

15

Kumi na tano

Koo-me na ta-noh

16

Kumi na sita

Koo-me na see-ta

17

Kumi na saba

Koo-me na sa-ba

18

Kumi na nane

Koo-me na na-nay

19

Kumi na tisa

Koo-me na tee-sa

20

Ishirini

ee-shee-ree-nee

21

Ishirini na moja

ee-shee-ree-nee na moh-ja

30

Thelathini

Thay-la-thee-nee

40

Arobaini

a-roh-ba-ee-nee

50

Hamsini

Ham-see-nee

60

Sitini

See-tee-nee

70

Sabini

Sa-bee-nee

80

Themanini

Thay-ma-nee-nee

90

Tisini

Tee-see-nee

100

Mia moja

Mee-a moh-ja

1,000

Elfu

Ayl-foo

100,000

Laki

La-kee

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Pic of the Week

On safari on the Maasai Mara.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Recipe: Oysters Mombasa


In Kenya, the oysters are opened and each one goes on its own tiny china ramekin. Twelve of these little dishes are placed on a large platter with a bowl of dark, dark-red cocktail sauce and slices of lemon. Mombasa, that lovely city on the coast of Kenya, boasts the very best of these small oysters. Make Oysters Mombasa for yourself with this recipe:


Open 32 small oysters. Leave them on the half shell and place on baking sheets.


Wine Garlic Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic very finely minced
  • 1 cup Chablis
  • 4 Tbs. chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • few drops Tabasco

Combine the wine garlic sauce ingredients, and ladle half of above sauce (1 tsp. per oyster) on each one. Bake at 350'F. for 6 to 8 minutes. Ladle the remaining sauce uniformly over the oysters again. Serve immediately, four per person, with lemon wedges.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Meeting People, Part 5: Nationalities

Nationalities

Uraia

Where are you from?

Unatoka wapi?

oo-na-toh-ka wa-pee

I’m from…

Natoka…

Na-toh-ka…

America

Marekani

Ma-ray-ka-nee

Australia

Australia

a-oo-stra-lee-a

Canada

Kanada

Ka-na-da

England

Uingereza

oo-een-gay-ray-za

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Pic of the Week

She looks like she is in the middle of telling a story and we are about to hear the juicy part!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Recipe: Sweet Pea Soup


Make this East African soup recipe for yourself:
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp grated fresh peeled ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, diced
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 3 cups fresh green peas, shelled
Braise/deglaze onions and garlic in a pot for 5-10 minutes. Mix in the ginger, salt, and all spices and cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes and sweet potato, stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, stir. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the peas and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 cups of water. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. return to the pot, add the last cup of peas, and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Meeting People, Part 4: Making Conversation

Making Conversation

Kuzungumza


What a beautiful day!

Ni siku nzuri sana!

Nee see-koo n-zoo-ree sa-na

Nice/Awful weather,

isn’t it?

Hali ya hewa ni nzuri/mbaya,

sivyo?

Ha-lee ya hay-wa nee n-zoo-ree/m-ba-ya seev-yah

Do you live here?

Unakaa hapa?

oo-na-ka ha-pa

Where are you going?

Unaenda wapi?

oo-na-ayn-da wa-pee

What are you doing?

Unafanya nini?

oo-na-fa-nya nee-nee

Do you like it here?

Unapapenda hapa?

oo-na-pa-payn-da ha-pa

I love it here.

Napapenda hapa

Na-pa-payn-da ha-pa

What’s this called?

Hii inaitwa nini?

Hee ee-na-eet-wa nee-nee

That’s beautiful,

isn’t it?

Inapendeza sana, sivyo?

ee-na-payn-day-za sa-na seev-yo

Where are you

coming from?

Umetoka wapi?

oo-may-toh-ka wa-pee

I’m coming from…

home

the market

town

Nimetoka…

Nyumbani

Sokoni

Mjini

Nee-may-toh-ka…

Nyoom-ba-nee

Soh-koh-nee

m-jee-nee

Are you here on

holiday?

Uko hapa kwa likizo?

oo-koh ha-pa kwa lee-kee-zoh

I’m here…

For a holiday

On business

To study

Nipo kwa…

Likizo

Biashara

Masomo

Nee-poh kwa…

Lee-kee-zoh

Bee-a-sha-ra

Ma-soh-moh

How long are you

here for?

Upo kwa muda gani?

oo-poh kwa moo-da ga-nee

I’m here for (four)

weeks/days.

Nipo kwa wiki/siku (nne).

Nee-poh kwa wee-kee/see-koo (n-nay)

Local talk

Cool

Poa

Poh-a

Great!

Safi!

Sa-fee

Hey!

We!

Way

How are things?

Mambo?

Mam-boh

It’s OK

Ni sawa

Nee sa-wa

Just a minute

Subiri kidogo

Soo-bee-ree kee-doh-goh

Just joking

Natania tu

Na-ta-nee-a too

Maybe

Labda

Lab-da

No problem

Hamna shida

Ham-na shee-da

No way!

Haiwezekani!

Ha-ee-way-zee-ka-nee

Sure

Sawa

Sa-wa

What’s the news?

Lete habari

Lay-tay ha-ba-ree

What’s up?

Vipi?

Vee-pee

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Pic of the Week

On the Maasai Mara.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Recipe: Chapati


Chapati is an unlevened (no yeast or baking powder) flat bread and a staple food among the people of East Africa. Chapati is normally served with other foods like sukuma wiki and other vegetables. Tear off pieces of a chapati and use it to pick up other foods. Chapati is a bread and a utensil, much like ugali. Make chipati for yourself with this recipe:
  • 2 cups white flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • oil
  • water
Mix dry ingredients well. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the flour mixture and mix in with your hands until flour feels a little bit like sand. Add enough water to form an elastic dough. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out 1 ball into a circle and spread 1/2 teaspoon oil over it. Roll the circle up, like a jelly roll, then roll it up again. It should resemble a snail shell. Do the same for the other three balls. Let the dough sit 20 minutes to 8 hours, depending on when you make them. Roll out into circles 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Melt a bit of shortening in a frying pan and wait until it is hot to cook the chapati. Cook rapidly and watch them bubble up. Makes 4 chapatis.

Fancy your chapati up by spreading some butter or margarine on the warm chapati and sprinkling some cinnamon sugar on it for breakfast.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Meeting People, Part 3: Addressing People

Addressing People

Vyeo vya watu

There are two forms of addressing women, different in the level of formality. The word bibi is more informal than bi, and can be used by anyone to refer to their grandmother, and by a husband to refer to his wife. The general term bwana is used for addressing men both in formal and informal situations.

Mr/Sir

Bwana

Bwa-na

Mrs/Madam

Bi

Be

Ms/Miss

Bibi

Bee-bee

When addressing an older person or an authority figure, the usual exchange of greetings is:

Respectful greetings

Shikamoo

Shee-ka-moh

Thank you for your respectful greetings.

(an older person to a younger person)

Marahaba

Ma-ra-ha-ba

Thank you for your respectful greetings.

(a younger person to an older person)

Asante

a-san-tay

It's common to address people by their likely position within a family. you can call an elder man 'grandfather', a middle-aged man 'father', and a youthful man 'brother'. In addition, parents are often addressed as the mother or father of one of their children (not necessarily the first born), rather than using the parent's own name, eg mama Amina (Amina's mother), baba Flora (Flora's father).

Auntie

(any elder woman)

Shangazi

Shan-ga-zee

Brother

Kaka

Ka-ka

Father

Baba

Ba-ba

Grandmother

Bibi

Bee-bee

Grandfather

Babu

Ba-boo

Mother

Mama

Ma-ma

Respected elder

Mzee

m-zay

Sister

Dada

Da-da

Sibling/friend

Ndugu

n-doo-goo

Uncle

(any elder man)

Mjomba

m-johm-ba

Hello Stranger

The usual greeting for tourists who are presumed not to understand the language is jambo (hello). There are two possible responses – both mean “hello” too, but while jambo indicates that the speaker would rather use English, sijambo means that he or she is willing to try a little Swahili.

How are you?

(to one person)

Hujambo?

Hoo-jam-boh

How are all of you?

Hamjambo?

Ham-jam-boh

I’m fine

Sijambo

Si-jam-boh

We’re fine

Hatujambo

Ha-too-jam-boh

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Pic of the Week

How can this smile not be contagious?