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Why We Should All Return to the Heritage Cooking of Our Grandmothers

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In the age of air fryers and chicken inns, the kitchen has become a place of efficiency rather than artistry. We have traded the slow simmer for the high-pressure steam, and in the process, we’ve lost more than just flavour.

Returning to the heritage cooking of our grandmothers (traditional food & methods) is a necessary reclamation of our health, our environment, and our culture.

Slow food

Grandmother’s kitchen didn’t rely on shortcuts. Heritage cooking is built on patience.

  • Traditional methods like fermenting, soaking grains, and long-simmering bone broths unlock nutrients that quick-cooking methods bypass.

  • Many heritage techniques were designed to make food easier on the gut, think sourdough fermentation versus commercial yeast.

Sustainability

Long before zero-waste was a trending hashtag, it was a survival tactic. Our grandmothers knew how to stretch a single chicken into three different meals and turn stale sukuma wiki into a good meal.

  • Heritage cooking utilises every part of the ingredient, drastically reducing food waste.

  • These recipes were born out of what was available in the garden, naturally reducing the carbon footprint associated with imports.

Connection

Every time we recreate a recipe passed down through generations, we engage in a form of living history. In an increasingly digital and disconnected world, the smell of a specific spice blend or the texture of a hand-kneaded dough provides a sensory anchor to our roots.

Economy

With the rising cost of living, heritage cooking is a financial lifeline. Traditional meals often rely on affordable staples, beans, tubers, and hardy greens, transformed by technique rather than expensive ingredients.

Ultimately, the recipes our grandmothers had are blueprints for a more sustainable and soulful way of life. By reincorporating the slow methods of the past, we do more than just feed our bodies. It might just be the best way to save our future.

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Feature Image: Elise Gaumier on Unsplash

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Easy Kenyan recipes to try for lunch

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Mokimo/Mashed potatoes and greens

Ingredients

  • 9 potatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 cups chopped spinach
  • Swiss chard or pumpkin leaves
  • 1 cup corn or peas

Instructions

Peel your potatoes and cut them into cubes

Put the cubes in a pot and add water. Make sure the water is not too much or too little.

Over medium heat bring the cubed potatoes to  a boil.

Add the garlic and greens. You can opt to cook these separately, blend then add to the potatoes later.

In a separate pot boil the peas until tender.

Once the potatoes are done drain the excess water. You can check if the potatoes are ready using a fork or knife.

If you boiled your greens together with the potatoes, add the peas and proceed to mash until everything is mixed up and there are no lumps.

If you boiled your greens separately add them and mix in the peas, then mash.Add salt and pepper to tasteServe with your veggies of choice

ALSO READ: 7 benefits of eating with your family

Mixed matoke and beef

Ingredients 4 servings

A bunch of bananas

Several stalks of dhaniaa

Pinch of salt

1 large onion

2 small carrotscooking oil

500 g beef

Chopped 3 tomatoes

Instructions

Chop your onions, carrots, tomatoes and dhania

Peel your bananas. You can use paper gloves or you can smear oil on your hands to prevent matoke sap from sticking on your hands.

Add in the beef, increase the heat and let it cook till brown.

Add in the beef, increase the heat and let it cook till brown.

Add the chopped carrots and tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

Add the bananas to beef and stir and then add beef broth for stock

Add salt, dhania and curry powder then cover and let the mixture simmer for  a few minutes until the bananas are soft. Remove from heat and serve.

You can add your favorite greens on the side.

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Easy Kenyan recipes to try for lunch

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Mokimo/Mashed potatoes and greens

Ingredients

  • 9 potatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 cups chopped spinach
  • Swiss chard or pumpkin leaves
  • 1 cup corn or peas

Instructions

Peel your potatoes and cut them into cubes

Put the cubes in a pot and add water. Make sure the water is not too much or too little.

Over medium heat bring the cubed potatoes to  a boil.

Add the garlic and greens. You can opt to cook these separately, blend then add to the potatoes later.

In a separate pot boil the peas until tender.

Once the potatoes are done drain the excess water. You can check if the potatoes are ready using a fork or knife.

If you boiled your greens together with the potatoes, add the peas and proceed to mash until everything is mixed up and there are no lumps.

If you boiled your greens separately add them and mix in the peas, then mash.Add salt and pepper to tasteServe with your veggies of choice

ALSO READ: 7 benefits of eating with your family

Mixed matoke and beef

Ingredients 4 servings

A bunch of bananas

Several stalks of dhaniaa

Pinch of salt

1 large onion

2 small carrotscooking oil

500 g beef

Chopped 3 tomatoes

Instructions

Chop your onions, carrots, tomatoes and dhania

Peel your bananas. You can use paper gloves or you can smear oil on your hands to prevent matoke sap from sticking on your hands.

Add in the beef, increase the heat and let it cook till brown.

Add in the beef, increase the heat and let it cook till brown.

Add the chopped carrots and tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

Add the bananas to beef and stir and then add beef broth for stock

Add salt, dhania and curry powder then cover and let the mixture simmer for  a few minutes until the bananas are soft. Remove from heat and serve.

You can add your favorite greens on the side.

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Simple Kenyan Fish and Ugali Recipe

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Fish and ugali is a beloved Kenyan meal enjoyed across many households. Not only is it delicious, but it also provides a nutritious balance of proteins and carbohydrates, making it perfect for family mealtimes.

Here’s a simple yet authentic way to prepare this dish:

Ingredients for Fish

– 1 whole tilapia (or any other fish of your choice)

– 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

– 1 medium onion, chopped

– 2 cloves garlic, minced

– 1 teaspoon ginger, grated

– 1 tablespoon cooking oil

– Salt to taste

– 1 teaspoon curry powder

– 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)

– 1 lemon (for cleaning the fish)

– Fresh coriander for garnish

Ingredients for Ugali

– 2 cups maize flour

– 4 cups water

Instructions

Step 1: Clean the fish

Begin by cleaning the fish.

Rub the lemon over the fish and rinse it well with water to remove any fishy smell.

Once clean, pat the fish dry using a kitchen towel and sprinkle salt over it.

 

Step 2: Fry the fish

Heat the cooking oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Gently place the fish in the pan and fry both sides until golden brown and crispy.

Once done, remove the fish and set it aside.

 

Step 3: Prepare the fish stew

In the same pan, add the chopped onions and sauté them until they are soft and golden.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute.

Next, add the chopped tomatoes and let them simmer until they soften into a thick sauce.

Stir in the curry powder, paprika, and salt, allowing the flavours to blend.

Return the fried fish to the pan, adding a little water to create a stew-like consistency.

Cover the pan and allow the fish to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, ensuring it absorbs the sauce.

Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.

 

Step 4: Cook the Ugali

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In a separate pot, bring the water to a boil.

Gradually add the maize flour while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.

Keep stirring until the mixture thickens.

Lower the heat and press the ugali with a flat wooden spoon until it is firm.

Let it cook for about 5 minutes, ensuring it is well done.

Once cooked, transfer the ugali onto a plate and shape it into a round mound.

 

Step 5: Serve

Serve the fish stew with a generous portion of ugali and enjoy this wholesome Kenyan meal with your family.

This traditional meal is not only tasty but also rich in nutrients.

Fish is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, while ugali provides essential energy for the day. Your family will love this meal, and it’s easy to prepare for any occasion.

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Easy Kenyan recipes to try for lunch

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