Traditional Foods In Kenya :When we visit different countries there is a lot to do on the agenda, from safari activities to city exploring and many more things, but among the many things to do when you visit a country is to eat. Usually most eating facilities will offer a wide range of foods that you are familiar with and the country’s local foods as well for you to choose from.
Normally because people are in a new country and don’t want to try out things or don’t know about the local foods, they will not try them.
Well in this article we want to share about traditional foods in Kenya to encourage you to try them out when you visit Kenya and give you a heads up on the traditional Kenyan foods.
The traditional foods are usually eaten when you visit the local communities on safaris like when you visit the maasai mara national park, lake Nakuru national park, mt kenya national park, hell’s gates national park and many others.
To make the breakdown of the foods easy for you to understand, we are going to group them in the different tribes. So here are some traditional foods for different Kenyan tribes:
- Kikuyu Tribe
– Ugali: A staple dish made from cornmeal or cassava flour, often served with stews or sauces.
– Irio: A dish made from mashed potatoes and peas, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Githeri: A mixture of boiled beans and maize, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Mukimo: A dish made from mashed potatoes, peas, and corn, often served with vegetables or meat.
- Luo Tribe
– Kuon: A dish made from boiled fish, often served with ugali or rice.
– Apondi: A dish made from boiled cassava leaves, often served with fish or meat.
– Omena: A dish made from boiled fish, often served with ugali or rice.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Maasai Tribe
– Ugali: A staple dish made from cornmeal or cassava flour, often served with stews or sauces.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
– Matooke: Steamed or boiled green bananas, often served with vegetables or meat.
- Luhya Tribe
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Kuon: A dish made from boiled fish, often served with ugali or rice.
– Taro: A dish made from boiled taro roots, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Kalenjin Tribe
– Koito: A dish made from boiled potatoes, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Kamba Tribe
– Irio: A dish made from mashed potatoes and peas, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Matooke: Steamed or boiled green bananas, often served with vegetables or meat.
- Mijikenda Tribe
– Kuon: A dish made from boiled fish, often served with ugali or rice.
– Apondi: A dish made from boiled cassava leaves, often served with fish or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Meru Tribe
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Irio: A dish made from mashed potatoes and peas, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Matooke: Steamed or boiled green bananas, often served with vegetables or meat.
- Turkana Tribe
– Apon: A dish made from boiled fish, often served with ugali or rice.
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Samburu Tribe
– Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
– Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
– Kisira: A dish made from boiled cassava, often served with vegetables or meat.
– Matooke: Steamed or boiled green bananas, often served with vegetables or meat.
These are just a few examples of traditional foods for each tribe, and there may be variations and overlap between tribes. Additionally, modernization and urbanization have influenced traditional food habits, and many Kenyans now enjoy a diverse range of cuisines and snacks like: –
- Mandazi: Fried doughnuts sprinkled with sugar or coated in chocolate.
- Samosas: Crunchy fried or baked pastries filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and onions.
- Viazi Karai: Fried potato fritters seasoned with spices and herbs.
- Kaimati: Crunchy fried dough balls sprinkled with sugar or coated in chocolate.
- Chapati: Thin, unleavened flatbread often served with stews or used to scoop up sauces.
- Mahamri: Fried doughnuts coated in coconut flakes and sprinkled with sugar.
- Muteta: Steamed or boiled green bananas often served with vegetables or meat.
- Githeri: A mixture of boiled beans and maize, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Roasted Maize: Grilled maize on the cob, often slathered with butter or margarine.
- Plantain Chips: Thinly sliced plantains fried until crispy, often seasoned with salt or spices.
- Arrowroots: Boiled or roasted arrowroot tubers, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Sweet Potato Fries: Thinly sliced sweet potatoes fried until crispy, often seasoned with salt or spices.
- Cassava Chips: Thinly sliced cassava fried until crispy, often seasoned with salt or spices.
- Boiled Groundnuts: Boiled peanuts, often seasoned with salt or spices.
- Fried Cassava: Fried cassava tubers, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Kunde: Fried or boiled bean cakes, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Makande: Fried or boiled cornmeal cakes, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Sukuma Wiki: Fried or boiled leafy greens, often served as a snack or side dish.
- Nyama Choma: Roasted meat, often served as a snack or light meal.
- Vitumbua: Fried rice cakes, often served as a snack or light meal.
These snacks are widely available in Kenya and are often enjoyed at social gatherings, markets, or as a quick bite on the go.
