GITHERI
ENGLISH
Sorry, the title above it is supposed to be IRIO and not Githeri
During the eighties, Nairobi was the New York of East Africa. The center of the city was clean and paved. Shops in the city were clean and well organized. And I was proud to call Nairobi my temporary home for a few years while my father was working there. My favorite memory was going to the city market every Sunday after church.
I also have a greater memory; my first experience to prepare a meal, that I was helped by our maid! That meal was irio. Irio is a Kikuyu recipe from Nairobi, Kenya. You can see the influence of the British in this recipe. The British colonized Kenya for a long time and they introduced a few of their habits to Kenyans one of them is drinking tea, and the famous irio. Irio is mashed potatoes mixed with variety of vegetables, fresh white corn/ maize and meat. I ate a variety of Irio in Kenya; some add meat, Sukuma wiki (Collard greens), peas, carrots and the works. It is very simple and easy to prepare. I can say this was the first recipe I learned to prepare while in Kenya.
I have added my own touch; example the fried onions and Cilantro is not part of the Kikuyu irio, but you will find it goes well together. If you visit Nairobi, make sure you eat Githeri. KARIBU
SWAHILI
Samahani hapo juu ilikuwa niandike IRIO sio githeri
Kwenye miaka themanini na kitu, mji wa Nairobi ulikuwa kama New York ya East Afrika. Mji ulikuwa msafi na una rami kila kona. Maduka nayo yalikuwa masafi sana. Nilifurahi kuita Nairobi nyumbani kwa miaka michache ambao baba alikuwa akifanya kazi huko. Ninachokumbuka zaidi ni kwenda City Market kila jumaapili tukitoka kanisani.
Pia nakumbuka mara yangu ya kwanza kupika mlo wa maana ambao nilisaidiwa na dada wa nyumbani. Hicho chakula kilikuwa irio. Irio ni mapishi ya wakikuyu wa Nairobi, Kenya. Haya mapishi yana athiri ya Waingereza. Waingereza walitawala Kenya kwa muda mrefu na waka wazoesha Wakenya na tabia ya kunywa chai, na pia chakula kinachojulikana kama Irio kati ya Wakikuyu. Githeri ni viazi ulaya vilivyo pondwa na mboga za majani, mahindi mabichi, na nyama. Mimi nilikula githeri za aina mbalimbali nilipokuwa Kenya; nyingine zilipikwa na nyama, sukuma wiki, njegele, karoti na mboga za kila aina. Kutayarisha mapishi haya ni rahisi sana. Haya ni mapishi ya kwanza niliyojifunza nilipokuwa kenya.
Nimeongeza upishi wangu katika mapishi haya; mfano vitunguu vya kukaanga na dhania/majani ya mgiligilani si mapishi ya Githeri, lakini yanapendeza ukila pamoja. Ukitembelea Nairobi, usisahau kula githeri. KARIBU
13 comments September 6th, 2006
