Today I bring you a Kenyan Traditional Food - Omena Fish. Omena is a silver Cyprinid, a species of ray finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. I know I'm taking you back to class but there's no simpler translation of Omena. So lets just say it's a small fish that resembles Sardines. Omena Fish is mostly found in Lake Victoria which is in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. This small fish has survived the test of time and has been available in many Kenyans' tables from generation to generation. I tell you Omena will out live us! Fishing has been an old way of life for many Kenyan households especially those living around Lakes and the Ocean.You will find fishermen early in the morning with their nightly catch already selling at the Lake side and Sea shore.In Kenya the town that is most associated with Omena fishing is Kisumu that is just next to the Lake. Omena is fish that is dried in the sun and preserved with salt. When cooking Omena Fish there are those who insist on cooking it just like that, but a bit of soaking especially with warm water just for a few minutes is okay so as to reduce sodium intake. I like cooking my Omena Fish 'dry fry' where you just fry your Onions, Tomatoes, add salt, cooking oil and any spice of your choice and just tossing for a bit to coat everything. But if I am cooking for many I have to add a little liquid to make the soup. When you go to an eating place, what we call "kibanda" or "kibandaski" and hear someone ordering "kisumu boys" just know they are ordering Omena Fish. This particular Omena Fish is one that is deep fried and then preserved with salt, that is why it is oily like that, otherwise sun dried Omena Fish is usually a bit dull and dry.
Omena in coconut sauce is very delicious and easy to make
A handful of the little fish. There are those who do not eat the Omena Fish with the head attached to it, claiming it is bitter. The more hilarious ones are that the person does not want to eat food that is staring up at her! I think it's all about how you prepare it.
See how small the Omena Fish is, you need to cook a large quantity if you are going to get satisfied. Omena Fish is one of our Kenyan Pride when it comes to food. It can be boiled, fried or steamed and served with Ugali. Though I have seen some people accompanying their Omena Fish with Rice or Chapati, i'll stick to my Omena-Ugali or Kisumu Boys as we call this delicacy.
Kenya offers a wide range of Traditional and non-traditional cuisine that you can enjoy while having a local eating experience at a Kibanda. Tell me your experiences with Kenyan Cuisine. Enjoy some Omena Fish this week! 🐟😉
