What are Kenya's famous food dishes?
Kenya
Answers:
Kenyan cuisine is fairly simple and it is based more on substance rather than flavor (although some might disagree with me...): a lot of starches (maize, potatoes) and proteins (beans, meat) usually cooked with vegetable shortening (e.g. Kimbo and Kasuku, those who have lived in Kenya will recognize those popular brands :). The use of herbs and spices is not very common (except in the coastal region where Swahili cuisine is heavily influenced by Indian and Middle-Eastern cuisine).
The national dish of Kenya is Ugali. Ugali is a maize meal made from white corn flour. The flour is cooked in boiling water until it has the same consistency and texture as dough. For those of you familiar with West African cuisine, it is the equivalent of Fufu. Ugali is rather tasteless on its own and is therefore often eaten with gravy, stew, sauce or vegetables (greens, known as mboga in Swahili). Ugali is eaten with the fingers by tearing a bite-sized piece and usign that piece to scoop up some garvy/sauce. The same corn flour used to make Ugali can also be used to make porridge, known as ujii in Swahili, which is usually served for breakfast or sometimes as an afternoon snack (kids love it, especially with a couple teaspoons of sugar).
Ugali is very often accompanied by sukuma wiki. It is a leafy vegetable similar to spinach and usually cooked in gravy. Ugali and sukuma wiki is the staple dish for many Kenyans. Sukuma wiki is Swahili and the literal English translation is “to push the week” as it is an inexpensive food.
Githeri is a stew made from maize and beans. Sometimes, other vegetables (usually potatoes and/or greens) and/or meat are added. Irio is maize and beans (or chick peas) mixed with mashed potatoes. Both dishes are traditional dishes among the Kikuyu people of Kenya.
Nyama choma is a favorite dish for many Kenyans. It is meat (beef, goat or sheep) roasted over a wood or charcoal fire. It is yummy when well cooked. The Carnivore in Nairobi serves some of the best nyama choma in town and they have a wide range of choices including game meat (antilope, crocodile, etc...)
Chicken is less popular than nyama (red meat) but still enjoyed mainly in urban areas and very present in Shahili cuisine (coastal region). Fish is popular on the coast of the Indian ocean and in Western Kenya, in the regions surrounding Lake Victoria (fresh water varieties from Lake Victoria such as the Nile perch and tilapia are very tasty).
Popular snacks include mahindi (maize on the cob, boiled or roasted), mandazi (fried doughnuts), samosas (meat or vegetable filled fried patties) and njugu (roasted peanuts). These snacks are usually sold everywhere by street-side vendors known as kiosks in Kenya.
Other Answers:
EATING THE KENYAN WAY
Kenyan food is a meeting of different cultures. A popular meal might be a meat dish, usually served as a stew, accompanied by potatoes, rice, or a dish known to all Kenyans, ugali. Ugali is a steamed corn meal, similar in texture to dough.
On the coast, spiced rice and fish are often eaten with chapati, a pancake of flour and water. Curried stew is also popular, as is a dish called githeri, made from beans, maize and vegetables. Soup, mostly broth with spices, is also eaten in Kenya.
The national drink is tea, or chai. Chai is prepared like a soup. Sugar, tea, ginger, and milk are added to cold water and the mixture is brought to a boil and served piping hot. Kenya's warm climate provides a delicious assortment of tropical fruits. Mangoes, known as maembe, paipai or papaya, pasheni or passion fruit, ndizi or bananas and stafeli or custard apples are widely available.
Nyama choma, or barbecued shish kebab of goat's meat, is a popular food to offer guests. Once you pick the part that you prefer, the meat is roasted and served in bite-sized pieces and served with ugali or curried stew.
Source(s):
http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/kenya/eating.html
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