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alexandra antoine

  • Work
  • Apprenticeships
    • Bamako, Mali
    • Ouidah, Benin
    • Fabric Workshop and Museum
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Mombasa, Kenya

Mombasa: Tasting the Coast of Kenya

January 18, 2022

mombasa

the oldest city in kenya

arriving at night after a 5-hour train ride from nairobi

with a humid air that reminded me of my childhood walking along the beaches in florida

letting me know again that this was a familiar place


i met khawaii, my mombasa cooking host, the next day outside of a shopping mall

on nyali road

before heading to kongowea market

Mabenda, also known as okra
Mabenda, also known as okra
mabenda+2.jpg
Mabenda, also known as okra mabenda+2.jpg

one of the largest in mombasa

with an abundance of every ingredient you'll need

sellers ready to bargain 

while walking through one set of stalls

i came across a staple that i was secretly looking for

mabenda, okra, which i have a deep love for 

and that i bought and later fried and devoured within 10 minutes

Grilling the red snapper
Grilling the red snapper
Red snapper in coconut milk based sauce
Red snapper in coconut milk based sauce
Grilling the red snapper Red snapper in coconut milk based sauce

khawaii and i decided on samaki wa kupaka

a grilled fish with coconut sauce and rice dish

usually made with tafi fsh

but she substituted red snapper as the fishermen were out of tafi

my caribbean heart was just as happy with the substitution

having an entire fish, with head and tail intact,

how it should always be served

had my stomach and taste buds ready

i was given a kanga, a beautifully colored cloth, to wrap around my waist

khawaii explaining that women often wore it while cooking

and the prepping began

as the charcoal and grill were set out for the fish

ginger and garlic paste

and coconut milk

i came to understand

are essential ingredients in kenya's coastal cuisine 

i also got to use one of my now favorite tools, the mbuzi, to grate the coconut we needed

Grating the coconut on the Mbuzi
Grating the coconut on the Mbuzi
Mixing the coconut with water
Mixing the coconut with water
Squeezing out the milk using a Kifumbu
Squeezing out the milk using a Kifumbu
Grating the coconut on the Mbuzi Mixing the coconut with water Squeezing out the milk using a Kifumbu

once I got the flicking of my wrist right 

the process of grating became a meditation

gone are the days of cutting your fingers on a box grater

frying+the+potato.jpg
fried+potato.jpg
frying+the+potato.jpg fried+potato.jpg

making kachori and viyaz kari, two versions of fried potatoes in chickpea batter

with an accompanying tamarind sauce

would serve as our appetizers

coconut milk carefully made by hand using a kifumbu, a braided strainer

would later serve as the base for our sauce 

and the liquid bath for our rice

a few hours later

our meal was ready

i would spend much of my time in mombasa mostly eating and walking around

traveling to wasini island for a snorkeling trip

tasting the salty blue-gem colored water of the indian ocean

and eating more seafood provided by the locals

i couldn't leave the coast 

without trying the breakfast platter 

prepared by the chefs behind the @mombasa_food_you_crave_ instagram page

Mombasa breakfast platter
Mombasa breakfast platter
Mbaazi, pigeon peas in coconut milk
Mbaazi, pigeon peas in coconut milk
Mombasa breakfast platter Mbaazi, pigeon peas in coconut milk

mbaazi, pigeon peas in coconut milk

mahamri, fried puff bread similar to puff puff from west africa

keema cutlets and kebabs, fried minced meat croquettes

samosas, fried pastry with a savory filling  

viazi and bhajia, two different spiced fried potatoes 

a glorious breakfast platter of fried doughs, potatoes, meat, falafel and beans

that i have thought about everyday since

and has me certain that i will be returning back to kenya



***SPECIAL NOTE***

If you find yourself in Mombasa, be sure to book a cooking experience with Khawaii and let your taste buds be blessed!

Nairobi: Learning the Culinary Cuisine →

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