11 Unusual Foods You Can Eat in Kenya

Termites
Termites | © Derek Keats/ Flickr
Jean Wandimi

Every community in the world has its signature foods. From the Sushiririto in San Fransisco to the bizarre Canadian Geoducks, the world does not cease to surprise when it comes to strange eats. Kenya has it’s fair share of weird foods, they may differ from tribe to tribe but here is a roundup of the most unusual.

Mutura/African Sausage

This is a Kenyan sausage that is made with blood and meat and flavored with spices. The ingredients are stuffed into intestines and roasted slowly on hot embers. It is very addictive and a favorite among many. A Kenyan street food staple it is best enjoyed with some kachumbari (salsa).

African Sausage

Mandazi Chai Ice cream

Mandazi Chai Icecream

Ugali & Matumbo Stew

Matumbo (tripe) is loved in Kenya, and it is fried and made into different types of stews. Some people may be put off by the smell but washing it with vinegar then rinsing it helps. Try it served with ugali (corn meal). It is so tasty!

http://instagram.com/p/BTCJsgjheXQ/

Goat head

In Kenya, when there is a ceremony, people kill goats and make all sorts of meat dishes ranging from mutura (above), Nyama Choma (bbq), boiled meat, mbuzi fry (fried goat meat with copious amounts of onions) and soup. Often the goat head is roasted on flames to burn off the hair and to give it some flavor. The head is then boiled for hours, and people eat the soft meat and drink the soup. They split open the head and eat all the gooey meat inside including the brains! The goat head is boiled for many more days, and people keep drinking the soup.

Cow blood

The Maasai community is known for drinking the blood of the cows that they herd. They simply pierce a vein on the cow to draw some blood, mix it with milk and put it on gourds. Other communities also cook blood and use it as an ingredient to make mutura (above). When cooked, it hardens and tastes like liver.

Blood

Termites

When it rains in Kenya termites come off their nests and swarms happen when colonies have winged female and males and they have to mate. Some people take this opportunity to catch the insects. They eat them raw (after removing the head which is too crunchy because of the hard jaws) or fry them in a pan. They taste better when cooked.

Termites

Raw meat

Some communities slaughter livestock and eat raw meat. They sure like their meat extra rare.

Raw meat

Jute Mallow

Jute Mallow is an indigenous vegetable is known as Mrenda in the Luhya community. It is a very slimy vegetable that feels like okra when cooked. It is almost bitter, and the preparation method involves boiling the leaves in salty water. Some people cook it with bicarbonate to help it cook faster. People also add milk to make it taste better, and it is served with ugali.

http://instagram.com/p/BQeCKjogPW-/

Stinging Nettles

In the Kikuyu community, mukimo is a delicacy that is made from boiling grains, potatoes and leafy vegetables then mashing everything together. One of the green vegetables used is the stinging nettle known as hatha or thabai. The leaves of this plant have stinging cells, and people develop rashes when they touch them and itch for hours because of the formic acid and histamine. The strange thing is that people boil and eat the plant!

http://instagram.com/p/3E6uaquAlp/

Chicken head and feet

Most communities in Kenya rear chicken. However, some do not throw away the feet and head when they eat them. They have different ways of cleaning and preparing them and they are considered a tasty dish.

Chicken Feet

Mursik

Mursik is a traditional milk delicacy made by the Kalenjin community, stored in gourds. It is made from both goat and cow milk. The milk is fermented in calabashes, and the gourd contains soot from different trees to add to the flavor. People love to drink it with ugali.

http://instagram.com/p/BRA2Bx5hy1J/

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article