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The Dawa (medicine) cocktail, invented in Nairobi, was inspired by the Brazilian ‘Caipirinha’ drink.  Dawa is commonly prepared when fighting a cold or sore throat. Today Dawa is a very popular drink and found at tables and cafes throughout Kenya. It is loved for its strong ginger aroma. Ingredients • 1 piece ginger root, grated • 1 tablespoon of root turmeric (preferably) you can substitute 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric • The juice of 1 lemon • Honey to sweeten (optional) Preparation • In a pot, add 2 glasses of water, ginger, and turmeric. Once it boils, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. • Remove from heat and settle for 1-2 minutes. • Strain, add honey, and serve. • Dawa can either be served chilled or hot. In the summer, it is lovely over ice with fresh mint. Mixing it with Prosecco will impress your guests! Source web address Favorite Kenyan food Recipes

In Kenya, any time is considered ‘Tea Time’. Chai is a beverage guaranteed to be in any Kenyan family’s menu. Like coffee in the United States, Chai is the most common beverage enjoyed by Kenyans for breakfast. It is also the first beverage most Kenyan households offer their visiting guests. The accompaniments taken with Chai include bread, Mahamri or Mandazi, boiled sweet potatoes or arrow roots. Ingredients • 1 cup milk • 2 teaspoons chopped tea leaves • 1/4 cup water • 3 teaspoons sugar Preparation • Boil water in a saucepan. • Add sugar and tea and boil for 3-4 minutes on medium flame. • Add milk and boil it over medium flame for 6-7 minutes or until bubbles start to rise. You will see the change in color of the tea from milky shade to brown color when it is ready. • Turn off the gas and strain the tea in cups. • Serve with cookies, Mahamri, Bread or Chapati Source web address Favorite Kenyan food Recipes

Mahamri is a type of doughnut incorporating special ingredients such as coconut milk and cardamom. This authentic type of snack originated from the Swahili coastal regions of Kenya and Tanzania and is still very popular in both regions. Normally, it is eaten at breakfast, accompanied by Kenyan Chai (milk tea) Ingredients • 3 cups of wheat flour • 8 -10 tablespoons of raw sugar (depending on desired sweetness) • 1 teaspoon of instant yeast • 1 teaspoon of cardamom • 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine • 1 medium egg – (optional) • 1 cup of coconut milk for kneading the dough • Vegetable oil for deep frying Preparation • In a mixing bowl add flour, sugar, yeast and Cardamom, butter/margarine, and the egg. Mix the ingredients together with either clean hands or a spatula. Slowly add coconut milk, a little at a time, as you knead the dough. • Knead the dough, for a minimum of 15-20 minutes until it is soft, smooth and not sticky in either your hands or the mixing bowl 5 • Place the dough in a container and cover it with either a lid or a clean cloth. Let it rest and rise for at least 3-4 hours at room temperature. (You can choose to leave it overnight, the dough should double in size) • Using a dough cutter or knife, divide the dough into 4-5 equal balls and coat each of the dough with flour, cover them again with a clean cloth for 15 minutes and let them rise. • Sprinkle some flour on a clean flat surface and using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into a circle of about 6 inches. Use more flour to dust the rolling surface to prevent the dough from sticking on the surface and on the rolling pin • Cut each of the dough circles into 4 pieces. • Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or a wok. • Test your oil by gently dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If the dough stays at the bottom for a couple of seconds then rises to the surface, your oil is ready for frying. If it rises up immediately, then your oil is too hot and you will need to reduce the heat to avoid burning your Mahamris and having the inside undercooked. • Fry 4 Mahamris at a time (depending on the size of your pan or wok). Use your metal strainer to splash oil over the top of the Mahamris to help them puff up. As soon as you see the bottom side of the Mahamris has turned light-gold brown, turn them over. • Keep turning the Mahamris until they have a nice golden-brown color on both sides. Remove them from the hot oil and place them in a serving plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. • Repeat this process until all the dough pieces have been fried • Allow them to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!! Source web address Favorite Kenyan food Recipes

Chapati is unleavened flat bread adopted from the Indian Rotti. It was first introduced to Kenya during colonial times as the Indian laborers constructed the railroads throughout East Africa. For many Kenyans at the time, Chapati was seen as part of a desirable modern meal. After decades of integration, Kenyan Chapati has become a more layered and thicker version of Indian Rotti. Today, Kenyans prepare Chapati as part of a celebratory meal or to welcome special guests Ingredients • 3 cups wheat flour • 1½ cups warm water • 2 teaspoon salt • 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil • The rind of one lemon - grated • Vegetable oil, for frying Preparation • In a large bowl add flour and salt. Incorporate the grated lemon rind to the flour, followed by 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and mix well. • Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture; add the warm water and start kneading until the water has been absorbed. • Knead the mixture for 5-10 minutes and add flour if needed, until the dough is non-sticky on your bowl and hands. • Add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and continue kneading until the oil mixes well and the dough feels soft. • Cover the dough and leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes • On a smooth flat surface, roll out the kneaded dough using a rolling pin (make sure the surface is dusted with flour) • After completely stretching it out, divide it into 8 straight strips using a sharp knife. Coil each of the strips to form a balllike shape. • Dust the flat surface with more flour and take one of the balls and roll it out using a rolling pin to a flat circular shape. • Repeat this process to the rest of the remaining balls. • On a hot pan, place the rolled out circular Chapati and fry (using medium heat) each side with a little bit of vegetable oil until its golden brown. Place your cooked Chapati on a flat plate and cover with aluminum foil or store them in a hot pot. Repeat this step with the rest of the remaining coiled dough Source web address Favorite Kenyan food Recipes