THAT’S
SO
KENYAN
Different communities in Kenya have their own native food
and drinks for which they are known - stereotypically or
otherwise. Let’s journey through different regions of this
country and explore the six major cuisines that will always
come up in conversation regarding what Kenyans eat.
Nyama choma
Nyama choma (roasted meat) has got
to be the unofficial Kenyan national
dish. In Nairobi, the scenario you’re
likely to encounter is roasted goat,
beef or Molo lamb coupled with a
cold Tusker - preferably swigged
straight from the bottle - a side
of kachumbari, sukuma wiki, ugali
and copious amounts of salt, with
a European League football match
playing at either some dingy or fine
establishment. Really though, any
social gathering is an excuse to start
up a grill as nothing has captured
the hearts of Kenyans quite like the
charred taste of a freshly slaughtered
grass-grazed goat, slowly roasted
24.
over an open charcoal fire. When
in Kenya, for the authentic Nyama
choma experience, the meat has to
be well done. In fact, unless you’re
in luck, it will probably be so tough
that you’ll pretty much feel the fibres
of a goat that spent much of its days
bleeting and running wildly about
the plains of Narok.
Mursik
I once chatted up a reknowned
YouTube food guru who, for all the
bizarre food he’d eaten in Asia,
matter-of-factly told me that the
strangest thing he’d ever had was
actually Mursik. This popular drink
among the Kalenjin is pretty much
just sour milk. Sounds harmless,
right? It’s actually made by pouring
cow urine into a gourd and leaving it
for a few days to season and cleanse
it- though this step is optional.
The insides of this gourd are then
smeared with charcoal and ash from
specific trees. Traditionally, blood
could be added to the milk while it
was fresh or after fermentation. The
milk is then boiled and allowed to
cool, after which it is poured into
the gourd and stored in a cool, dry
place to ferment for at least one
week. The gourd is finally shaken to
give the milk a smooth consistency.
The resulting drink has a sharp taste
that’s almost bitter in some cases,
and is delicious served with ugali.