My Furaha Kitchen

Welcome to My African Kitchen! I would like to note that, I am not a professional cook, yet, However, I have a lot of passion in cooking, through this passion, I like to experiment cooking different kinds of food, taste  and of course to eat good foods. Throughout the years, I have traveled the globe; from Africa (where I was born) to North America: USA (where I am citizen) and Mexico to Asia (South Korea and Japan), to Europe (where I am currently residing) as well as the Middle East, Dubai especially. So now you can imagined that I have tested quite varieties of good foods. I am always experimenting cooking with different kinds of dishes from different regions of the world. On this blog though, I would like to  focus, and share some of the African dishes-because that is what this blog is about; "Africa."  So welcome to my Afrilicious!  

I would like to share my favorite daily drink; " Chai ya Maziwa," this is typical drink of the island of Zanzibar. This drink is used as the way to welcome guests or for special occasions. Yes, it's sweet. Enjoy!

Who can have "Chai ya Maziwa" without "Maandazi?"

Making them!

Final product!
"Maandazi" go well with any kind of tea, of course, also, you can eat them with any kind sauce, such as beef, chicken, fish curry, or my favorite, fried fish. Also, they are perfect with coconut beans.





Now lets start this journey, I share my favorite food photos as well as recipes
Like this dish here, it is called "Kuku wa kupaka" it is one of many specialties from the Island of Zanzibar in East Africa.

I had this chicken when I was invited at my sister's House.  

Shared recipe.

"Zanzibar" Fried chicken and eggplant curry.

Ingredients:                                                 

1.Whole cut up chicken

2. Eggplants

3. Four Cloves of garlic

4. Two Onions

5. whole Cumin
6.Four cloves of Cardamom 
7. whole cinnamon 
8. Whole black pepper
9. Tomato paste or four medium tomatoes 
10. Potatoes (optional)
11.Curry powder
12. Two whole green chillies (Do not break them) 
Please note; Garlic, onion, cumin, cardamom are to be blended or pounded together. Also you can use hot chilies if you want your curry spicy hot. 

How to prepare:

Fry chicken on frying pan separately till brown. In the pot saute' blended spices in hot olive oil, then add sliced onions, saute' onions for a minute or two, then add tomato paste, in few minutes add curry powder. In a minute or two minutes add cut up eggplant and potatoes (optional). 

When everything mixed together add fried chicken and beak of cinnamon and whole black pepper then add water , please note; when adding water, the water level should not cover the ingredients i.e less water the thicker the curry. Add salt to taste. Cover to simmer, cook till done.

            Enjoy!!!








Food benefits:  Food is the most essential substance that our bodies need.

 Also using right kind of food our bodies can guard themselves with so many preventive diseases. Fruits and vegetable especially.

Eat fresh and with only one ingredient kind of foods.

 Go Green!!!  


Pickled chili peppers.

Ingredients:
Chili Peppers
Lime Juice /Vinegar
Salt 
Spices or Herbs 


Most of us love our food spicy. I would like to share this simple recipe on how to pickle your chili peppers. 

          














First, boil chili peppers separately, bring water to boil, then add chili peppers and let them boil for about two minutes.

   Drain the water and put the chili peppers in the bowl, add a pinch of salt and a table spoon of olive oil and mix well.








 Put the chili peppers in the jar, add lime juice or vinegar, spices or herbs of your choice, such as; black peppers, cumin, basil or sage.
Put the jar in the sun whenever possible. ENJOY!

 Green Bananas  in coconut milk.

Most of you are used to see or eat plantains, which is commonly known in African,  in the Caribbean,  I even found out mostly Islanders eat plantains,  even those islands in the pacific.

This is also a typical dish on the Island of Zanzibar, it is very delicious.  On this Island the staple dish is mainly rice and fish. But in absence of rice people eat a lot of other foods, including green bananas, Cassavas, beans and many others.

These bananas are very simple to prepare, here is my simple recipe for these Bananas.

It depends how many people you are cooking for but typical you will need

A bunch if green bananas (about 10-15 bananas)

4 cloves of garlic

1 medium white or red onion

2 small tomatoes

1 green or red chili (for flavor)

2 cups of pure coconut milk  (or fill the pot by slightly covering the bananas.

Two table spoons of curry powder

A  pinch of salt.

How to prepare.

You can peel the bananas with a knife or for easy peeling just heat the bananas in the warm water, wait till the peels turn color from dark green or black. Pour the water and run cold water on the bananas as they might be hot. Please note: if you peel bananas with knife you will have to boil them first.

After bananas are boil in the pot put the bananas (you can cut them in half or you can cook the  whole), garlic, sliced onion, sliced tomatoes, whole chili, pour coconut milk, curry powder and salt to taste. 

 Cook on medium heat. Cook till coconut milk becomes thick and turns oily and yellow.

Enjoy!

You can put fish or your favorite meats few minutes  before  is done and cover for few minutes. Please note: Fish or any meats you use need to be boiled before.

Health/healing tips:

Take a spoon of honey each morning before you eat anything, this will make your immune system strong. Will protect you from a lot of allergies.

Eating raw garlic is like taking antibiotics...only difference is, this one is natural, no side effects. If you can not eat just garlic by itself, just take three cloves, chop them and toss them in your favorite salad (see photos above, for salads ideas).