A Taste Of Swahili Cuisine

OVERVIEW

Watch a local chef cook traditional Swahili dishes and then enjoy the freshly prepared concoctions for lunch. This foodie immersion will be held outdoors on the shaded lawn of the Serena Beach Resort & Spa, which overlooks a beautiful stretch of sand just north of Mombasa. As an introduction, you will sit in on a discussion of the aromatic spices that are typically found in Swahili cuisine. They include cloves, cardamom, turmeric, ginger and somewhat lesser-known spices such as fenugreek, a hard seed with a nutty, maple-like flavor. Although the menu often changes, the chef will likely prepare seafood masala or kuku paka, a grilled chicken dish topped with creamy coconut sauce. Both dishes are classics, especially along Kenya’s coast. Another chef will show you how to make chapatis, a flaky flatbread that is a Swahili staple. After dining on these delectable dishes, feel free to meander about the resort’s private beach and butterfly garden.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sit in on a cooking demonstration of traditional Swahili cuisine at a seaside resort.
• Learn about the variety of aromatic spices that are found in most Swahili dishes.
• Dine on the dishes that the chef prepares and Swahili flatbread as an accompaniment.
• Spend free time gazing out over the resort’s beach and walking about the butterfly garden.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.