How to Cook Soft Layered Butternut Chapati

Discover how to make soft and layered butternut chapati, a healthy twist on the classic flatbread. Perfect for nutritious meals and packed with the benefits of butternut squash. Chapati is a beloved flatbread in many households across the world, especially in East African and South Asian cuisines. It's a staple that pairs beautifully with both savory and sweet dishes. But if you're looking for a healthy chapati recipe that adds a flavorful twist to the classic, then soft and layered butternut chapati is your next must-try. This easy chapati recipe not only offers a rich, buttery texture but also comes with the added nutritional value of butternut squash.

5 Ways to Get Soft Layered Chapati Coil Method

I love tips and tricks to getting soft chapatis, so far I have several ways I have learnt to fold chapati so that you get the softest chapati full of layers. I have already done 2 ways that I have already shared on my Youtbe channel. This method is very easy and the more practise you do it, the better you will become.

Jinsi Ya Kupika KuKu Wa Kupaka

Kuku wa kupaka is basically Kienyeji chicken cooked in thick coconut sauce!

My Favourite Chapati Recipes

Chapati is also spelled as chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi, also known as roti, safati, shabaati, phulka and (in the Maldives) roshi.  Chapatis are made of whole-wheat flour known as atta, mixed into dough with water, edible oil and optional salt in a mixing utensil called a parat, and is cooked on a tava (flat skillet). Chapati dough is typically prepared with flour, salt and water, kneaded with the knuckles of the hand made into a fist and left to proof for at least 10 or 15 minutes to an hour for the gluten in the dough to develop. After proofing, the dough becomes softer and more pliable. Small portions of the dough are pinched off and formed into round balls that are pressed between the two palms to form discs which are then dipped into flour and rolled out on a circular rolling board (a chakla), using a rolling pin known as a velan or belan, into a flat disc.The rolled-out dough is then thrown on the preheated dry tava and cooked on both sides.

Uji ya Ukwaju na Ndimu (Tamarind & Lemon Porridge)

I love my porridge sweet and tangy and this is exactly what this Uji (porridge) is! I recently made some UKWAJU Juice and I knew this was the first thing I would be using the juice for. Most of the time people tend to think that Uji is usually for kids but its healthy, delicious and nutritious. This uji I made using Wimbi flour thats filled with lots of nutrients for the body, both kids and adults! Rich, creamy and thick, what more would you want from hot uji on these cold days?

Ndengu Curry in Coconut Cream:

Whenever I think about Ndengu or Pojo in Swahili or Mung Dal in Indian or Green Grams in English, 🤗😄 I always think of Chapati. My next favourite meal after R&B (Rice & Beans)! I like Rice and Ndengu but not that much, I would rather eat the ndengu on its own. I love coconut in anything, and that is what I love about this Ndengu curry. You can check out the full recipe on my YOUTUBE channel below. Comment or ask any question and I will be happy to answer.

How to Make Ukwaju (Tamarind) Juice

My earliest memories of Ukwaju date back to when I was really young, less than 10 years old. Sighs "seems like ages ago lol" We used to go visit our grandma every holiday after closing schools. That is every April, August and December, like clock work we knew our holidays would be spent in "ushago" upcountry. And we loved it! Partly because the chores would be less, you know, its true that grandmas always spoil their grandkids 😉... I can't really remember which month it was or if it was those 3 months but the ukwaju (tamarind) tree was always ripe. Since the tree was too rough to climb, we would use long sticks to beat the pods out of their stems. Then we would gather on the ground, peel off the top later and suck the hell out of all those yummy insides. They do have a tangy sweet taste which we loved anyway. Then after the holidays, we would carry some back to town and mom would make fermented porridge and add the ukwaju while cooking. It was the best tasting porridge ever! Now fast foward to now, and being a grown up, I know the many uses of the ukwaju (tamarind) other than eating and adding to porridge. So my first ukwaju recipe is how to squeeze out the delicious juice so that you can use it for many other recipes. Have you tasted Ukwaju before? What has been your experience?

Cardamom Spiced Mandazi

When it comes to Mandazi, I love them fluffy and soft and, I love having them warm with marsala tea. Adding cardamom spice to your mandazi makes them so delicious since cardamom is fragrant with a touch of earthiness.

Kuku Kienyeji Stew

Kuku kienyeji/Kienyeji chicken is free range or organic chicken that is usually more delicious than broilers or layers. It has always been a tradition that whenever we go upcountry to visit our grandma she always packs for us a chicken or two. Either a live chicken or one that has been dried on an open fire. That is why I always look foward to going for those visits because of getting that kuku kienyeji. Back in town, there are vendors who sell organic chicken, which normally is more expensive than broilers or layers. Kuku kienyeji has a much darker flesh that gets an intense flavour after cooking. With this kienyeji chicken, you do not need to add too many ingredients or even spices because its totally delicious with basic add ins.

5 Ways To Get Soft Layered Chapati - Cone Method

Getting soft layered chapati is always the aim when it comes to cooking chapati. This is the second method I have learnt that will guarantee you the softest chapati you will ever eat!

Kenyan Carrot Chapati

Want to add vibrant color and taste to your simple chapati, why not add grated carrots! Chapati as you know has always been my favorite meals to cook and I always try to find ways to make them more delicious. Whether it is wholewheat or all purpose flour, chapati is a delicious meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. The best part is that chapati is great for warming up to eat the next day. To ensure that they do not dry up and become dry and hard the next day, you need to cook them soft and this method I used guarantees you soft chapati that will keep soft even for 3 days! 

Kenyan Sesame Mahamri

Mahamri is a delicious coastal snack that is known and famous for its aroma of cardamom, a sweet spice and delicate taste of coconut. You can use coconut milk or cream. I think dessicated coconut works as well, that reminds me, I think I should cook with dessicated coconut next time. For my first mahamri they turned out pretty delicious, I know a soon to be favorite in the house. In unrelated news, is it just me who loves the smell of yeast fermenting or what? Mahamri is unique in that you only cook with yeast whereas for Mandazi, you can cook them using baking powder. Try something new today with this delicious sesame seeds mahamri, I promise, you will love.

Kenyan Lemon Mandazi

First of all, let us talk about the aroma of these lemon mandazi! Citrus fruits have natural aromas that get you excited, and I love me some lemon, in bread, cakes, salad, pancake or crepes, drinks and even chicken! Mandazis are best eaten warm with your favorite drink like tea, coffee, juice or even yoghurt. When it comes to mandazi, I love them hollow at times while other times I love them with a little bit of flesh, especially if I am craving Mandazi. Family loved the orange Mandazi but these were a constant hit, with no left overs to hide away! 

Kenyan Mini Cinnamon Mandazi

Happy Sunday! I always look foward to Sunday mornings because I get inspired to make delicious breakfast without having to worry about time. Lately I'm having mandazi cravings, after that yummy orange mandazi, I still want more. Every body loved that orange flavour in mandazi plus the vibrant color. Today I wanted to add spices to get that warm sweet spiciness. Have you ever tried those recipes that are usually at the back of food packets? I always see them and just brush off, but today I decided hmmmm, what's the worse that could happen? Nothing went wrong, in fact these mandazi were delicious that my sisters were eating them before I finished cooking them. So this recipe has been inspired by the back of my mandazi flour packet with every detail followed. Have you ever tried a recipe from a food packet?

5 Ways To Get Soft Layered Chapati - Pleats Method

My chapati journey has been a long one to say the least. As much as I love to cook chapati nowadays, I woke up one day at 2am in the morning and cooked chapati because I had a chapati craving, it has been a growth curve for me. Growing up in an African setting, knowing how to cook is not a luxury or a maybe-you'll-learn-to-cook kind of thing. It is a REQUIREMENT! You were thrown into deep waters and you had to learn to swim or survive in the kitchen. So back to chapati lessons. Whenever mom would cook, she'd require us to sit and watch her cook and learn because "kesho ni wewe utapika" (tomorrow is your day to cook). Cooking chapati was a chore we all hated but after a while I think I was the only one who actually enjoyed being in the kitchen. So we would cook and the chapatis would turn out shapeless and hard as biscuits! Complaining hoping mom would take over since we had butchered the chapatis, she would wave her finger at us "hizo chapati ngumu na shapeless ndio tutakula tuu!" and tell us we would all eat those chapatis until we learnt. Needless to say, we enjoyed the chapatis as they were until it was no longer a chore, for me at least, my sister still hates cooking chapati she would rather eat rice or noodles. For me the secret to making soft chapati is hot water, you start off nu kneading with a spoon before the water cools off then use hands to knead until smooth. For this process however you need warm water to knead flour because the dough becomes too soft if water is too hot. The DOUGH is what makes a GOOD chapati, get that right and you will enjoy making delicious soft chapati. So lets get on with it.

Kenyan Orange Zest Mandazi

Last week of February guys, how has time flown so fast? I had fun this month and I must say it's so far the best February ever! It has been a while since I cooked Mandazi so today I'm bringing you Orange flavored Mandazi. Oranges have such a citrusy flavor that brings vibrant and sort of tropical aroma. I used yeast for these Mandazi because it makes them light yet soft, plus I just love the smell of yeast fermenting in the dough! I made lemon zest mandazi that were to die for! So it was only fair that another citrus fruit made it into my mandazi! Another thing I used was mandazi flour instead of the regular all purpose flour. I've never used Mandazi Flour before and I must say it is perfect for Mandazi. You will definitely enjoy these delicious orange zest mandazi that will become your favorite😋😋

Happy New Year + Taking Stock

Happy New Year My Lovelies! We made it! To another Year! 2019! That is how I want to end my year at the end of 2019, with lots of excitement and energy. Thank you for being with me in this journey and peeping through my small Kitchen. I have so much planned for this year and I am hoping that they will come to fruition as I move to the next stages of my life. For me cooking is me, it's my life, it's what I dream of doing for the rest of my life. I think I would not be as happy as I usually am when I am in the kitchen being anywhere else. So to begin this new year, I am taking stock of what 2018 has been for me and hoping for a better, calmer, beautiful, exciting 2019. So this is me reflecting on 2018 and my hopes for 2019. 

Kenyan Nduma Viazi Karai

It seems people are getting back to basics when it comes to food. Organic lifestyle has become common nowadays with people searching for traditional foods like vegetables. Nduma (arrow roots) is one such vegetable that more people are enjoying. I always want to find new ways of preparing food so I had this idea to make some viazi karai using the nduma like I did with these delicious SWEET POTATOES! They turned out yummy and I loves them, so they will definitely be part of my regular menu either for breakfast or as snacks.

Kenya Ugali Croutons

Ever wondered what to do with left over Ugali, well, why not make croutons out of them? For your salads and soups!

Beef Biryani Recipe a Spiced & Aromatic Indian Rice with Tender Beef

Happy New Month my Lovelies! Discover authentic Beef Biryani, a fragrant, spiced Indian rice dish with tender beef chunks, aromatic spices, and vibrant flavors in every bite. Experience the rich and aromatic flavors of Beef Biryani, a classic Indian rice dish that combines tender, marinated beef with fragrant basmati rice and a blend of warm spices. This layered dish is slow-cooked to perfection, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully and create a satisfying, hearty meal. Perfect for special occasions or a flavorful family dinner, beef biryani is a delicious celebration of traditional Indian cooking that delights the senses with every bite.