Swahili and Coastal Traditional Vegetable Recipes

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Table of Contents

About the Vyamtswano Women's Group .................................	4
History of the Digo and Mijikenda Culture of the South Coast.....	6
About the recipes..................................................................	10
Conversion Chart...................................................................	12
The recipes
Drinks...................................................................................	14
Appetizers and Accompaniments............................................	18
A short course in the Art of Preparing coconut milk...................	22
Soups and Sauces................................................................	26
Traditional Breakfast Dishes...................................................	30
About Ramadhan...................................................................	34
Ramadhan Favorites..............................................................	36
Meat and Sea Food Dishes....................................................	42
Sweet Dishes........................................................................	48
Acknowledgements................................................................	52

About the Vyamtswano Women's Group

The Vyamtswano Women's Group currently consists of 18 women who were born and raised in the area of Tiwi on the South Coast of Kenya. While the villagers of Tiwi have minimal income, they are a resourceful and determined people. They possess a long history and a rich culture. They live in an area of great natural beauty and plentiful resources. Not surprisingly, the Vyamtswano Women's Swahili and Traditional dishes also are simple but rich in unexpected ways. The recipes are flavoured with coconut, indigenous organic ingredients and spices that are so much a part of a complex culinary and social heritage. "Vyamtswano" in the Kidigo language means "something delicious" and their food is exactly that.

The idea of a cookbook had been floating around for several years among the women. Many of the ladies were looking for a way to generate income, no matter how small. Their idea of creating a cookbook took shape with the arrival of Peace Corps Volunteer, Sherry Barnes who assisted them in applying for a small grant from the U.S. Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund. Since then, the ladies have officially registered their group with Kenya's Ministry of Gender, Sports, and Social Services. They have appeared on Nation News Television and on radio. They have been visited by members of the office of the President. Using their small cache of collective funds, traveling with their own cooking utensils, sufurias and charcoal jikos, they have participated in numerous exhibitions. Currently they have long-range plans to open their own restaurant and provide catering services and cooking classes for the local tourist industry.

It is the hope of the Vyamtswano Women's Group that those who use the recipes in this book will not only enjoy the dishes, but will come away with a deeper appreciation of Swahili social and spiritual life as it is expressed in the making of delicious and nutritious food.

For more information and ordering of additional copies of this book, contact

Vyamtswano Women's Group

P.O. Box 443

Ukunda - Kenya

Email: vyamtswano04@yahoo.co.uk

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