Learning about pepino melons

Pepino melon, a fruit touted as a super fruit and is native to Peru, it has lots of Vitamin A, C and K and also B Vitamins, protein, plus iron and copper, which are essential for a healthy immune system and calcium for bones, potassium which is needed for relaxing and lowering blood pressure and Pepino is a good diuretic too.



It helps with liver disease, lowers blood pressure, helps those that suffer from strokes to heal faster, and promotes cardiovascular health.



The taste of a Pepino melon tends to be very sweet and juicy, with a faintly floral aroma; many people compare them to cantaloupes and honeydews, two well-known melon varieties.



Pepino melon has a light-yellow to light-green skin, streaked with purple variegations. The flesh, when ripe is golden yellow with a narrow seed cavity.



The Pepino melon is entirely edible: skin, flesh, pulp and seeds, to consume you should select a dark golden colour, sweet-scented, and fairly loud.



Fruit flavour is slightly sweet, sour and tasteless, each fused with one another produces unique flavour combinations, which is like a cantaloupe and melon fruit flavours.





Pepino melons contains low amount of calories. Hence it helps in losing weight. All the calories in the Pepino melon come from its carbohydrate content.



Pepino melons are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body does not digest. The fiber in the melon slows digestion, helping you feel longer.

Pepino Melon Fruit
Pepino Melon Fruit



The pepino melon is also sodium-free. Decreasing your daily intake of sodium lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of developing illnesses related to high blood pressure, such as heart disease and kidney disease.



Pepino fruit is also beneficial to increase stamina. Herbal products from China are made from raw Pepino, now widely sold in Indonesia.



The content of vitamin C in Pepino 25 mg per 100 grams of fruit flesh, vitamin C aids in preventing oral thrush and to maintain healthy gums.



In addition to vitamin E, vitamin C is a natural antioxidant useful against free radical attack, causes premature aging, and various types of cancer.

Brian

Best masala sauce

Kenyan Masala Sauce

chefbriih.blogspot.com 

Kenyan Masala Sauce

Kenyan Masala Sauce is an essential ingredient in the many Kenyan Tikka Masala and other kinds of Masala dishes. You can buy already prepared masalas, but if you really want to do it up in true, traditional Kenyan style, it is fun to make your own at home. Plus, once you do it once or twice, you can then come up with ways to make Kenyan Masala sauce tailored to your particular tastes.

Kenyan Masala Sauce Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable cooking oil
• 1/4 cup water
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
• whole garam spices, as follows-
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 whole cardamom pods
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 ripe red tomatoes, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp. ground cashew nuts flour
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground turmeric root
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• freshly ground sea salt and black peppercorns, to taste

Directions:

1. In a wok, or large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high flame.
2. Add in and stir together all the whole garam spices. Sauté, stirring often until the oils released are filling the kitchen (maybe the whole house!) with a marvelous, enticing aroma.
3. Add the chopped onions in and cook, stirring, until the onions are nicely softened and browned.
4. Add and stir in the ginger and garlic paste, and cook, stirring, for just a couple minutes.
5. Now add and stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and the ground cashew nuts. Cook, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes take on a pulp-like consistency.
6. Reduce the heat to just a lively simmer, and then add and stir in the turmeric, coriander, chili powder and coriander. Add in a little bit of water if need be to loosen the mixture, then cook, stirring continuously (you don’t want it to burn), for about 3 minutes.
7. Lastly, add and stir in the coconut cream. Cook, stirring, for another 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Congratulations! You have just prepared a delicious batch of homemade Kenyan Masala Sauce!
9. You can use it right away, as a major ingredient in many Kenyan dishes, or store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, and use it as needed.

             jamun fruit/ black plum smoothies

chefbriih

Description

Black plum or jamun is very easily available in summer and rainy season. It is very good for diabetic patients. These berries are powder packed with many different nutrients that are good for our body. Jamun also has an anti- Bacterial property and is used in many medicines. Don't throw away the seeds, dry them in the sun and powder it to make a Jamun smoothie which is quite easy.

Ingredients and amount

• Jamun/ black plum 3/4 cup deseeded
• Low fat curd 2 cup
• Milk 1/2 cup
• Honey 2 tbsp or to taste
• Crushed ice

How to cook?

1. In mixing jar blend jamun and honey till smooth Then add milk, curd, ice churn blend for a few second. Pour into serving glasses and serve immediately

Mchuzi Wa Samaki

Mchuzi Wa Samaki

Mchuzi Wa Samaki (Curried Fish Swahili Style) is a classic Kenyan seafood dish. Rich, full bodied sauce, very spicy, and filling, Mchuzi Wa Samaki is a real “comfort food”.

Mchuzi Wa Samaki Recipe-

Ingredients:

(serves 2)

• 1 lb. fish fillets, cut into halves, thirds, or quarters
• 1 tbsp vegetable cooking oil
• 2 onions, peeled and rough chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 Knorr seasoning cubes, crushed
• 1 tsp. red curry powder
• 1 Scotch Bonnet hot chili pepper, chopped fine (Note: for very hot and spicy, leave seeds in. For less hot, remove seeds)
• 2 tomatoes, rough chopped
• 1 tsp. tomato puree
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions in vegetable oil until softened, fragrant, and browned.
2. Now add in the curry powder and garlic, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 1 minute, stirring vigorously.
3. Next add and stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, crushed Knorr cubes, Scotch Bonnet hot pepper and chopped fresh cilantro, and cook, stirring, for another full minute.
4. Add in the fish fillets, water, lime juice, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Stir just enough to combine everything well.
5. Cover the skillet and cook at just a lively simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Serve your Mchuzi Wa Samaki hot, either in serving bowls by itself, or over rice in the bowls. As always, serve some chapatis or ugali to eat this delicious Kenyan meal with.

Sukuma Wiki

Sukuma Wiki
Sukuma Wiki is a superb Kenyan cuisine way of cooking greens. It can be made with or without meat. Either way, the special African seasonings and manner in which it is prepared is super tasty. Goes great with any Kenyan Nyama Choma (spicy roasted meat) main entree, and any leftover Nyama Choma is excellent to include in your Sukuma Wiki in another meal later, too.

Sukuma Wiki Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch of kale greens (you can also use collard greens)
• 3 medium-sized ripe red tomatoes, cored and rough chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large white onion, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 tsp. African smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. Simba Mbili curry (this particular curry is a must have ingredient, for authenticity)
• 1 tsp. freshly ground turmeric root
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Knorr seasoning cube, crushed
• 2 tbsp. scallion infused olive oil
• optional, add in some leftover Nyamo Choma

Directions:

1. Heat the scallion infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Sauté the garlic and onions until softened and fragrant.
2. Then add and stir in the Simba Mbili curry, African smoked paprika, turmeric and coriander, and cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, for about 2 minutes.
3. Add in the crushed Knorr cube, stir well to combine with all the ingredients, and simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
4. Now add and stir in the chopped kale or collards, cayenne pepper, tomatoes and lemon juice, and continue cooking for another 7 to 10 minutes until all the flavors have blended and the greens are well tenderized. (Note: if you are adding leftover Nyamo Choma meats, do that now, stirring the meat into the dish and allowing it to heat through and absorb the flavors of your Sukuma Wiki)
5. When finished cooking, do a taste test, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary, then cut off the burner and remove the skillet from the burner.
6. Serve your Sukuma Wiki while nice and hot, with either chapatis or some ugali.

Kenyan Ugali

Kenyan Ugali

Kenyan Ugali is one of the country’s two most common staples that go with nearly every meal. Chapatis are the other staple, and you can find that recipe if you Click Here.
Most Africans have some version of this kind of staple. Ghanaians, for instance have banku, fufu, and kenkey. Nigerians have their version of fufu, and so on. But as always, each African country has its own special spin they put on their “edible utensil”. Ugali is broken off in small bits, formed into a scoop shape, and used to dip into stews, soups, salads, etc., then the whole yummy morsel goes into the mouth. If you are going to prepare an authentic Kenyan meal, you simply must make some Kenyan Ugali to go with it.

Kenyan Ugali Recipe-

Ingredients:

(makes enough for 4 servings)

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups ugali flour

Directions:

1. In a suitably sized cooking pot, bring the water to a boil.
2. Add and stir in the ugali flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and thick – but not too thick. If it gets so thick it is hard to stir, add more water.
3. Gather the mixture into the middle of the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning it now and then.
4. Transfer the ugali onto a plate and, after it cools down some, divide and form it into four equal sized balls, one for each person eating.
5. Serve Kenyan Ugali with meat, fish, or chicken stews, soups, salads, almost any Kenyan meal calls for some ugali.

Kenyan Chapatis

Kenyan Chapatis

Kenyan Chapatis are served, much like Ugali, with almost every Kenyan full meal. As with Ugali, Kenyan Chapatis are an “edible utensil” used to break portions off and scoop up the meal entrees and pop the morsels into your mouth. Perhaps the most simple, and easy Kenyan food recipe you will come across, Kenyan Chapatis will be essential and a fun addition to any Kenyan (or other African) meals.

Kenyan Chapatis Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of water (warmed)
• 6 cups of whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp. of ghee, melted
• 2 tsp. salt
• more ghee, for cooking

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine and blend together the flour, ghee and salt. Stir until the mixture becomes crumbly.
2. Knead the mixture, little by little adding in the water, keep kneading until you have a doughy texture.
3. When all the water is into the dough, continue kneading for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is smooth, softened, and no longer sticks to the bowl or your hands.
4. Lightly flour a flat working surface. Place the dough ball onto the surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out until very thin – about 1/8″ thick. You may need to add more sprinkles of flour to the dough and flour your rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking while you roll it out.
5. Now roll the large flat round of dough up into a tight, long sausage shape.
6. Using a sharp, wet knife, slice the roll into as many individual chapatis you wish to make.
7. Place a large skillet on the burner over medium-low flame and heat it up. In another smaller pan, heat up the cooking ghee.
8. While the ghee melts and heats, roll out the chapati pieces into thin rounds, again sprinkling a little more flour on the dough as needed.
9. Place the rounds in the cooking skillet and cook until the bottom sides are browned and the top sides are translucent. This should only take a minute or two at most. Work in batches as necessary.
10. Flip the rounds over and brush some ghee on the browned side. When the other side is browned, flip them over again and brush some ghee on the newly browned side, then flip them back over and cook for just 15 seconds.
11. One by one or in as many at a time as the size of your skillet allows, repeat this process until all of your chapatis are finished cooking.
12. Serve Kenyan chapatis with most Kenyan stews, masalas, and even vegetable dishes.

Kenyan Cuisine

Kenyan cuisine would best be described as wholesome and simple. At least for the most part, which would include the majority of the more traditional dishes of the country. Local ingredients in rural areas are well utilized in creative ways, to come up with filling and nutritious meals that are just good, honest, and hearty fare.

Kenyan Cuisine

As you move away from the inland and approach closer to the coastal region, Kenyan cuisine becomes more exotic. This is the result of centuries of colonization, as well as the lucrative and busy international trades that still go on today. A walk through the streets of the coastal cities, passing by open air food markets and street vendors will titillate your nose with the aroma of exotic spices from the East. Cloves and cinnamon made their way into the hearts of Swahili cooks, as well as other food such as cassava, pumpkin, cocoyam, corn, pineapples, bananas and tomatoes.
Yet another influence – and a strong one – on Kenyan cuisine comes from India. The samosas and chapattis, and the wonderful chai tea came from workers and traders on the East Coast who had sailed (and still do) over from India. Over the centuries many Indian workers liked Kenya so much they settled there, and have mingled in with the natives and mixed their culinary style with the Kenyan style of cooking.
But let’s get into what you mostly came here for. The foods and recipes of Kenyan cuisine. For your convenience, the dishes listed below are hyperlinked to print-friendly pages with that particular recipe on it. So go ahead now, and start enjoying your ethnic food adventure into the wholesome, down-to-earth, quite simple and yet elegant world of …

Kenyan Cuisine!

Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala

Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala

Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala differs somewhat from the Tikka Masalas in other African countries. All Tikka Masalas call for marinating the meat in a spicy yogurt sauce, but in many countries cream from cow’s milk is used. In the coastal countries, like Kenya, usually coconut cream is used. And that is what you will find in this delicious recipe for Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala.

Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. skinned and boneless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup thick unsweetened yogurt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp. methi powder
• 2 cups garam masala sauce*
• 1 tsp. freshly ground turmeric root
• fresh squeezed juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• some chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish.

*Note: If you would like to prepare this dish in true, traditional fashion, and make your own homemade Masala sauce, you will find the recipe if you Click Here.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the spices and ingredients (except for the chicken and the fresh cilantro) and stir and blend together well. This is your Tikka sauce.
2. Place the chicken in a very large Ziploc bag, then pour the sauce over it. Toss, turn, and squish the bag to ensure even coating of all the chicken pieces.
3. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 4 hours – overnight is even better.
4. When you are ready to cook, drain the chicken in a colander or large sieve placed over a large bowl. You want to retain the Tikka Masala sauce.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame, then sauté the chicken until nicely browned all over.
6. Now pour the sauce into the skillet, reduce the heat to just a lively simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes – or until the chicken is fork tender.
7. Serve your Kenyan Chicken Tikka Masala while nice and hot, with freshly cooked rice, a salad and/or vegetable dish, and as always, either chapatis or some ugali.

---