Swahili Eats and Treats

All ready to eat! There might be sambusas there!

As some of you may know, I was not always impressed with daily fare in Nairobi--sukuma and ugali and dried beef, oh my!  Coastal Swahili food is a little different, and I love it!  Here is a short list of some of my favorites (all sic) (even though I’m the original writer) (I’m not going to edit myself ok):

1. Sambusas:  These are your typical samosa, but they are available everywhere, and on the cheap (about 10 cents a pop).  Fried little pockets of meat and onion filled glory just waiting for a dip in some pilipili.  If you know about my pocket food theory, you will be glad to know I've found my pocket food here.

2. Mkate wa sinia (rice bread):  This stuff is spongy, not too sweet, vaguely spicy.  Perfect to eat with some tea as a snack.

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3. Ukwaju juice and smoothies (tamarind): I have discovered a world of tamarind beyond spicy Mexican candy.  Tamarind juice flavored with a little lime will instantly make you forget about the sweltering heat and humidity.

4. Bhajia: Fried potato onion veggie bites.  Swahili hashbrowns. 

"heyyyyyyy"

5. These little cardamom donut balls: What are they?  I do not know.  They are sold three for ten cents along my walk to and from work.  They are just like glazed donut holes with a hint of tasty cardamom.

6. Tandoori: Indian flatbread, made fresh for every meal.

7. Grilled fish:  No one does fresh fish with coconut milk sauce like S.  Flaky meat and spicy skin.  Gotta eat it with your hands.

8. Chai: That means tea guys.  It is literally all the word means. Tea. But Kenyans do it differently.  Ginger, milk, sugar, cloves... it is to die for.

9. Podine: This is pretty much exactly flan but it is fantastic.

10.  COMING SOON: Mango season!