“I can make perfect chapatis from any direction”

“I can make perfect chapatis from any direction”

Yesterday we visited Mumbi Muturi- Muli an eclectic, gregarious and fun lady- a real lady, in fact she carries herself like a first lady.

Mumbi has her portrait, assistants-son Olaitan
& our multitasking driver Boniface. 

When asked about her take on Kenyan cooking her answer “ I’m a real Mzungu cook. “ roughly translated ‘ I don’t do much traditional cooking” that aside, she's an amazing cook- the ease at which she pops her spicy orange chicken in the oven and on the spot transforms the recipe to chocolate -spicy chicken- shows she has a knack for it.

 She is passionate about the precision of baking, quite the antithesis to her wacky persona - cakes, tarts, biscuits- difficult ones with exotic and fine ingredients- what we were tasting was delicious and looked wonderful.

  

During our travels we are finding ourselves not only looking for interesting food stories.. but we're now also on a mission to find the perfect chapati. You instantly think Indian when you hear the word “chapati” but it’s as Kenyan as it is Indian. Every one in Kenya has an opinion about them, a tale to tell or knows a god recipe and eats them..  we thought- lets find Kenya’s finest..

Today we spent the day with the day with Sumat a delightful Massai gentleman, who showed us his take on chapatis- really good. When asked to change positions for a better camera angle during our session- he answered ” I can make perfect chapatis from any direction..”

Sumat in the act of chapati making

Tomorrow we have to say our  goodbyes to Nairobi, all the kind people who have helped us, also our wonderful hostess Shiku who has put up with madness in her house and remained ever kind and caring.. Thank you! And then off to Mombasa- who knows what chapati talent we will encounter there. 

Working in the park-sized gardens of Shiku's
lovely home