Tag: East African Food

How to Make Flavor-Packed Chips Mayai

~ Sophie ~ 2 Comments

Happy New Year Family!

Its been a minute. A long one at that! But I am Back! To think we are in 2020 is so unbelievable! Back in 2010, this year seamed so far away, so unattainable almost otherworldly but here we are and now I don’t know how to feel! How are you taking in the new year so far?

We are staring the year right with the most flavorful chips mayai. There is something about street food that despite the sanitary conditions feels like home. You are not afraid of people judgement as you bite into that rolex, as you slurp that cow leg soup, tag away at the juicy meat skewer. Because unlike high-end restaurants, street establishments are so forgiving.  Very forgiving that the person next to you doesn’t matter because you paid your money and should be allowed to experience the bliss and get value for it. Yes street food is so forgiving! Which is why it is so fitting that we start this new decade with something that is reminiscent of home: Chips Mayai. Whoever invented it thought chips (fries)  alone were not enough (even though chips alone have worn the world over) and decided to add almost everyone’s reason for not being completely vegan….the fried egg! Because you can never go wrong with a fried egg. And because I thought the combination of two of the worlds most delicious fried foods was not enough, yet, I decided to add mushrooms perfectly confited in sugar, salt and soy sauce because why not. This savory monstrosity is finished off with a touch of sour ketchup to balance out all that goodness. Just imagine all the right spots this chips mayai will hit! You are welcome!

What you will need:

  • 4 Large  Potatoes, washed and cut into chips
  • 3 large eggs, whisked
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. Sugar
  • 1/2 C. Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  • Oil for frying

Method

  1. Place pan on medium heat. Add the frying oil and let it heat up.
  2. Fry the potato chips till slightly brown and cooked through.  Set the potato chips aside to cool down.
  3. Reduce the oil to about a tablespoon. Reduce the heat to low. Add the sliced mushrooms into the oil.
  4. Add salt, sugar and soy sauce and mix well. Let the mushrooms slowly fry in the oil till they reduce in size and turn a deep brown (they shouldn’t burn). It should take about 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the oil and set aside.
  5. Add two more tablespoons of oil into the pan and let it heat up. Add the diced onions, half of the chopped green onions and black pepper and salt in the oil. Let them fry till browned a little. Add the fried chips.  Stir well.
  6. Next pour in the whisked eggs. Cover the pan and let the eggs slowly cook for about 4-5 minutes. Remove the lid from the pan. Once the sides of the chips mayai has set, Use a spatula, forks/knife to carefully flip it. Let the other side cook for another 2 minutes. Flip the chips mayayi once again.
  7. Sprinkle the fried mushrooms on top, the remaining green onions and drizzle with ketchup.

Serve hot with a cup of tea, porridge or coffee. But if you are like me you can eat it all right of the pan and then later question your manners!

Share your creations using the #AkitchenInUg on social media!

 

 

 

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Githeri: Black Beans and Maize

~ Sophie ~ 3 Comments

githeri-AKIU-2

This New Year came with transitions and surprises but that is a story for another post! One of the greatest things was bringing home with us over 5 kilos of beautiful black beans from my grandmother!  We have cooked the beans in every way possible. First it was katogo until we ran out of bananas. We then proceeded to black bean stew which we had mostly with chapati because #kikomando. Soon we grew tired of them and then black bean patties took over (find a similar recipe here) which were amazing. I realized these beans are so rich in protein it is probably not recommended to eat them every single day.

On the other hand, school is resuming and we had to make snacks (think hard corns) for our cousin because #bigsisterduties,well, school is  resuming. We had to boil dried maize and then sun-dry it so we can fry it as hard corns. This githeri idea came about during those times of boiling hard corn and thinking of what to cook next with the black beans. This is not a new recipe because I know and have friends who eat githeri. It is just AKIU’s twist on the dish. It is an alternative way of eating beans and posho and I would like to think that in some way it is katogo of some sort. One thing though, it is packed with flavor.

 

What you will need:

Black beans, boiled and drained about 2 cups

Maize kernels, boiled and drained about 2 cups

2 Large tomatoes, chopped

1 Large onion, diced

1 Large green pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped

Ground coriander

1 C. Water

Royco chicken flavour

Curry powder

Black pepper

Salt

Observations:

  1. Any type of dried beans work for this recipe
  2. Unlike the traditional githeri, I decided to mix the maize and beans while frying.
  3. Make sure the maize in well pre-boiled and is very soft.
  4. You can season your githeri anyway you want

githeri-AKIU

Method

  1. On high heat, place clean pan and add oil. Add the garlic and onions and stir till an aroma is released.
  2. Add the tomatoes and cover pan. Wait for the tomatoes to become soft and tender.
  3. Add the boiled maize and the beans. Stir till distributed evenly.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients except the water. Stir occasionally till they dry out. Add the water and stir.
  5. Let the githeri simmer on low fire till all the water is gone.
  6. Remove from fire and serve.

 

This dish is great alongside this avocado salsa.

Let us know. Have you ever made githeri or eaten it?

🙂

Sophie