By Traditional Kenyan food is influenced, in part, by its African landscape. Cuisine on the east coast is infused with Hindu, Indian and Arab flair, due to their presence during the Colonial era. Alternatively, inland, the traditional styles of the indigenous tribal herdsmen have had their own band of influences.
Each area of the country stamps its own take on traditional Kenyan food by using local spices and ingredients as well as incorporating community, ethnic, and cultural inspiration.
1 Nyama Choma (roasted meat)
Nyama choma (Swahili for “grilled/roasted meat”) is a widely celebrated East African dish, recognized as a cultural staple and national dish in Kenya and large parts of Tanzania. It typically consists of slow-roasted goat, beef, or lamb cooked over glowing charcoal, heavily relying on the natural, smoky flavors of the meat seasoned simply with salt or a light marinade. In East Africa, eating nyama choma is a highly communal, social custom rather than just a quick meal. Friends and family gather around an open fire or grill, socializing, sharing stories, and enjoying drinks while the meat cooks. Many locals purchase the meat at open-air butcheries, choosing a raw cut that is then roasted on-site and chopped into bite-sized pieces to share right off a wooden board.
2 Ugali (cornmeal)
Cornmeal is undoubtedly the most common staple in Kenya. It is made by adding maize flour to boiling water and cooking until it transforms from grain into a thick, dense paste with a consistency of grainy dough. Maize was introduced to Kenya via the British during the colonial era. In the 1960s, local farmers began to grow it in Kenya, and since then, it’s become an everyday staple. Ugali served with stew is one of Kenya’s everyday meals; the tasty saucy dish is complemented by the more bland starch.
3 Chapatti (flatbread)
Kenyans eat the flatbread called chapatti with most meals, including breakfast. Similar to the Indian version, it’s made with white flour, salt and oil to form a dough that is wound then rolled flat and fried in a skillet until it’s crispy on the edges but soft and doughy in the middle.
4 Pilau (seasoned rice)
Influenced by Hindu settlers on the east coast, pilau rice is cooked in chicken stock and seasoned with pungent and flavorful spices like cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The dish is served with spicy beef or chicken.
5 Kachumbari (tomato & onion salad)
Kachumbari is the equivalent of salsa in other parts of the world. Made with diced tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and cilantro, it goes well with just about anything, such as a snack alongside chapatti, or served with a meal such as nyama choma as a main course.
