2024 Fall International Cook-Off Kenya recipes

Entrée: Pilau 

Prep time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes  

Ingredients:

• ½ of medium Red Onion
• Basmati rice: 2 ¾ cups
• Pilau masala: 1 ¼ teaspoons
• Salt: 1 ½ teaspoons, adjust to taste
• Garlic: 1 clove (or a bit more to taste)
• Cumin seeds: about ¼ teaspoon
• Cloves: around 2-3 whole cloves
• Cardamom: 1.5g (1-2 pods)
• Cinnamon: 1.5g (a small piece of a cinnamon stick)
• Ginger: small piece
• Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon
• Dark soy sauce: 1 tablespoon, adjust to taste 

Cooking instructions:

1. Cut the onions into pieces, put in the cooking pan, and add cooking oil.
2. Once they turn golden brown add crushed ginger and garlic and continue frying, add a little water in case it sticks on the bottom of the cooking pan.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and continue frying until it is properly cooked, add tomato paste.
4. Add pilau masala and the rest of the spices as you continue stirring.
5. Add soy sauce and let it cook for about 15 seconds.
6. Add the rice with a little water and fry until it all has a brownish color, if not add a little more tomato paste or soy sauce.
7. Add water and let it boil.
8. Immediately it starts boiling, reduce the heat, let it slowly cook under minimum heat and cover it.
9. Keep turning every 15 minutes to make sure all corners are cooked.
10. Once the water has fully evaporated set it down and keep it covered to let it cook with the steam.

Beef:

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Beef (boneless): 2 lbs
• Red onions: ½ an onion
• ½ Tomato
• 2 Tablespoons crushed tomatoes
• Tomato paste: 1 ¼ teaspoons
• Black pepper ¼ teaspoon, adjust to taste
• Salt: To taste
• ½ Green bell pepper
• Fresh cilantro: Small handful (around 3-4 sprigs)
• Paprika: ¼ teaspoon
• Royco (seasoning): 1 ¼ teaspoons
• Beef cube or use another salt-based seasoning as needed

Instructions:

1. Boil the meat until soft.
2. Drain any excess water.
3. Cut and fry the onions into the pan until golden brown.
4. Add the dry spices (cubes and powder) and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes to break down acidity.
6. Add a little water and cover it to cook for about 10 minutes.
7. Once the thickness is consistent, add chopped bell pepper, turn down the heat and cook for about 3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat, add chopped cilantro and cover.
9. Serve it hot with the pilau.

Side: Kachumbari

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Tomato
• Small Onion
• Fresh cilantro: ¼ of a bundle or 2-3 sprigs
• Salt: A pinch
• Lemon wedge

Instructions:

• Cut the tomatoes into halves and remove the inner flesh.
• Chop the onions and tomatoes into small cubes and mix well.
• Remove the stems from the cilantro and chop the leaves into small pieces and add to the mixture.
• Add salt.
• Squeeze the lemon juice into the mixture.