#tomyroots

July is the peak of cold season in Kenya and given that it is also dry, I tend to get stuffed up noses and coughs since my allergies flare up a lot. So I have been eating a lot of bowl foods, particularly soups.

This ramen noodle bowl is easy to do since most of the ingredients can be found in the pantry. It is healthy with a good dose of miso for probiotics, a punch of heat from gochugaru and plethora of vegetables fo a nutritional boost.

The best part is that it is superfast to make, thus having a warm filling dish on the table in less than 30 minutes.

If you don't have a spiralizer, you can use a julienne peeler. Or you can also slice the zucchini into ⅛-inch planks and stack the planks to slice lengthwise into ⅛-inch batons/matchsticks.

Serves: 4 people

4 eggs

¼ cup miso

1 tbsp gochujang, (You can add more depending on your spice level)

3 tsp finely grated ginger

2 tsp finely minced garlic

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

9 cups vegetable broth

2 small pak choi/ bok choy, quartered

3 small zucchini, spiralized

4 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Method

1.  Have a large bowl full of ice and water on the side to use later. On the stovetop, bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil.Gently lower  the eggs into the boiling water one at a time, using a spoon.

2.  Cook for exactly 6 minutes and 30 seconds for a creamy yolk. Remove the eggs as soon as they are done and transfer them to the bowl with ice water you had set aside earlier.

3. Once cool, gently peel the eggs (the yolks will be soft, thus the eggs will be a bit delicate). Set them aside, don’t slice them until you are ready to serve.

4.  Meanwhile, in another large stockpot, add the miso, gochujang paste, ginger, garlic and rice wine vinegar. Whisk the ingredients together to make a smooth paste.

5.  Add ½ cup of vegetable broth while whisking so that the broth and the paste mix well together and there are no lumps.

6.  Place the pot on the stove over medium heat, whisk in the remaining vegetable broth and bring the contents to a boil then reduce the heat so that it comes to a simmer.

7.  Add the quartered bok choy to the broth and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the zucchini noodles to the broth and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until firm.

8.  Distribute the zucchini noodles and bok choy among 4 bowls and pour the broth on top. Slice the eggs into half (It will be easier to slice the egg in a gentle sawing motion so that you don't press down on the egg too much). 

9.  Garnish the bowls with the sliced eggs, chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

Best thing about citrus fruit is its versatility and also it is always available all-year round. For the curd for this pie, try whatever citrus fruit you have in hand. Oranges are sweet once heated so you can reduce the amount of sugar in the filling. Also don’t be tempted to use the bottled stuff, freshly squeezed lemons are what sets the filling from any other.

This pie is made from my  favorite biscuits, gingersnaps which back a punch with the amount of ginger in them but rounded of with some sweetness so that the ginger is not overwhelming.

Feel free to use any other biscuits and cookies you have leftover from the festive season. You can mix and match to your hearts content so long as you like the end result.

So if you want to use some chocolate wafers or Ding-Dongs, why not.

When I first made the recipe, I didn’t have an oven so I made a no-bake crust with the pie plate. It was really delicious but too cloying sweet as the sugar in the filling was too much. That pie made its debut for Thanksgiving but I forgot to take pictures.

The photos are from Christmas where I finally used an oven to bake the crust and it was still good as a tart and also you get to showcase the gorgeous tart shell. 

If you don’t have a food processor, place your biscuits in a Ziploc or any large freezer bag, and whack them with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs. Then pour into a bowl and proceed with the recipe as is

Crust

300g gingersnap biscuits

3 tbsp brown sugar

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Filling

½ cup sugar

Pinch of salt

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp. cornstarch/cornflour

1½ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, (not bottled!) strained to remove seeds and pulp

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ tsp. mint extract (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F

Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs. Add the sugar and process again until everything is finely ground then add the butter and process briefly to combine.

Pat the crust into a 9.5-inch pie plate, and up the sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the sugar, salt, cornstarch and egg yolks in a saucepan with a heavy bottom and whisk to combine and break up the yolks. Whisk in the juices to combine thoroughly.

Place the saucepan on stove-top and heat the mixture to medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil for one minute exactly (set the timer.)

Strain the curd though a mesh strainer if you like, the step is optional, but will remove any little bits of curdled egg.

Fill the pie shell immediately, the curd will start to set fairly quickly.

Let cool and then refrigerate, uncovered, at least 4 hours to let it fully chill and firm up.

It can be said 2020 is the year that Banana Bread had its shining moment. If you do a web search, you will come across a multitude of banana bread recipes.

This recipe is a combination of 2 recipes from an old recipe book that I tinkered with the measurements to have a banana bread that is not overly sweet but still delivered a banana flavor.

The chocolate is another added texture component to the banana bread. You can also add Carob chips, which are also an interesting flavor, not the same as chocolate but they work perfectly in this recipe.

Ensure you have ripe bananas whose skin has a lot of black speckles which would result in a delicious cake. Anything less than that would result in a bland cake, void of any banana taste and it would be very pale in color since there are no sugars present to caramelize.

Yield: 8 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1½ cups)

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

4 tbsp vegetable oil

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate

Method

Preheat your oven to 180° C (350°F) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position in the oven.

Grease and flour the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and set the dry ingredients aside.

In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, eggs, vegetable oil, yogurt and vanilla extract until well combined and blended.

 Lightly fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture using a spatula until they are just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky.

Add ¾ cup of the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces to the batter and mix to ensure they are evenly distributed.

Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips evenly on the top.

Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack for cooling.Serve warm or at room temperature.

I never liked pumpkins when growing up since they were boiled to a pulp and tasted watery. Then we went to visit grandma who steamed them for breakfast and I could actually taste the sweetness of the pumpkin.

We recently got a few pumpkins from my aunt’s farm  and decided to roast them. This are Ukambani malenge, which can stay for long in storage and are much sweeter than any other variety frown in Kenya. Roasting them brings out the sweetness and serving them with Sirimon Feta cheese creates a creamy salty texture to complement the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Yield: 4-6 servings

1 kg (2 lbs.) pumpkin cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1½ tsp rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

30g Sirimon Feta cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a bowl, mix together the ground coriander, cumin, rosemary, cinnamon, paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. Add the oil to the spice mixture.

Add the pumpkin cubes to the bowl and toss the cubes, ensuring it coats the pumpkin cubes very well.

Place the spiced cubes on a baking tray ensuring each cube is in contact with the baking tray, do not overcrowd . You can spread the pumpkin into 2 trays if they are overcrowded to avoid steaming,

Roast for 30 minutes without turning, or until the pumpkin is very well caramelized.

Transfer the roasted pumpkin to a serving platter then serve with feta cheese and chopped cilantro served on top.

NOTES

SUBSTITUTION: If you don’t have pumpkin squash, you can use butternut squash or sweet potatoes.

MAKE IT VEGAN: Leave out the feta cheese

To achieve beautiful browning and crisp, roasted perfection, pumpkins need some breathing room. Arrange vegetables in a single layer and don’t overcrowd the pan to avid steaming

Pumpkin turns to mush if baked for too long. It should be tender with a nice golden surface on at least  the sides that were in contact with the tray during baking.

I got introduced to tofu a few years back while in college and it was great. My Friday treat used to be Balsamic Tofu, which was served at one of the dining locations in college campus.

It was firm tofu that had been marinated with balsamic vinegar, oregano, pepper and several other spices. I used to get a lot of it then just add arugula on top and it was my to-go meal for writing chemistry reports on Friday evenings.

This recipe is an ode to that salad with the same concept. Take tofu, then place it is a flavorful marinade then sear it to that you get a crunchy exterior with creamy interiors, a contrast in texture.

I served it with soba noodles and a bunch of veggies but it can also be served over rice or any other grains.  Or you can serve it over green and dressing to make a salad. 

With tofu, the combinations are endless

500 grams (1 lb) firm tofu, pressed and diced

¼ cup water

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

¼  tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp vegetable oil plus more for cooking

Method

Into a bowl, add the water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar and cayenne powder and whisk until well combined.

Add the diced tofu and let it marinate, covered in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. If you let it marinate longer, it will have a more intense flavor.

Strain the tofu, but don’t discard the liquid.

Into a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and then add half of the tofu cubes. Sauté until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip the cubes to sear the other side, being careful not to tear the cubes.

Remove the seared tofu to a plate then add more oil to the pan and sear the 2nd batch of marinated tofu cubes.

Add the cornstarch to the leftover marinade and mix until well combined. Pour the sauce into the frying pan and cook until it thickens.

Serve with cooked noodles and vegetables on the side.

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

It has just started raining in Nairobi which gives us a good reason to eat more soups. I had some sweet corn that I had purchased a few weeks ago and stored in the freezer. Figured it would be a good time to make some chowder to enjoy during these rainy and cold days.

The chowder is a warm thick soup with plenty of vegetables of every color and potatoes making it a very good comfort food.

Serves 4 to 6

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup sliced leeks or diced onions

½ cup diced carrots

2 garlic cloves, finely diced

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 red/yellow bell pepper, diced

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tsp flour

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ cups water

2 cups milk

4 cups sweet corn kernels (husked and cut from cob or frozen)

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

 Method

Heat the vegetable oil over medium oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the leeks and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

Add the diced bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, oregano, pepper and salt to the saucepan. Stir and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the flour and stir to ensure all the vegetables are coated with the flour. Cook, stirring often, to cook out the flour taste. Add ¼ cup of water to deglaze the bottom of the pan and scrape off anything stuck at the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Add the diced potatoes and stir. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through but still firm.

Add the water, milk and sweet corn kernels. Heat the soup to a simmer and turn down the heat. Let it cook on low for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. 

Serve hot on its own topped with chopped cilantro leaves. You can also serve it with freshly warmed bread.

I love freshly made stovetop popcorn, its wonderful aroma takes me back to quiet weekend when Mum would make a big batch just because she wanted to do. Now that I am all grown up, I have been making it often when I just want a no-fuss snack.

Then I got introduced to kettle corn and the possibilities are endless. My encounter with popcorn’s sophisticated cousin was at an Ohio fair when I was enticed to a stand with a huge copper urn and some caramel notes in the air.

So every summer and fall season I would look for kettle corn, fully convinced that it couldn't be made at home, Then this year, I came across an old recipe that made me think about this tasty treat.

I burned a lot of poorly executed batches before I finally nailed down a perfect method to avoid getting burnt by sugar. The trick is water added to the stovetop- it ensures that the popcorn has time to heat up and pop before the sugar burns, thus the caramel does coat  the popcorn lightly and evenly.

Yield: 4 cups

⅓ cup popcorn seeds or kernels

¼ cup sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ tsp salt, ground into a powder

 Method

Have 2 large bowls ready. In a large cup, combine the popcorn seeds with ¼ cup water and place it close to the stove. Measure the sugar into a cuop and also place it close to the stove.

In a large, heavy saucepan with a close-fitted lid heat the vegetable oil with 1 seed of popcorn over high heat with the lid on.

when the kernel does pop, lift the lid and sprinkle the sugar into the pot. Carefully add  the water and popcorn seeds and immediately place back the lid onto the pot, but leave it slightly ajar.

Holding the lid with a pot holder, shake the pan vigorously back and forth over the heat. It will steam for about 90 seconds, then when all the water has evaporated , the popcorn will start to pop.

Keep on shaking the pan over heat for about 50 seconds longer. When the popping reaches the maximum – you will know when the popping sounds start to slow– remove the pot from heat.

Just keep on shaking the pot off heat until the popping sounds have almost stopped, then pour the contents of the pot into one of the large bowls. Let it cool for a few minutes.

Now yo will need to remove any unpopped popcorn seeds. Stir the kettle corn with a spoon, breaking the pieces that are stuck together so that the heavy seeds do fall to the bottom of the bowl.

Loft out the popped kettle corn  and transfer to the 2nd bowl; discard the unpopped popcorn seeds. 

Toss the kettle corn with the ground salt and serve.