Where We Go: Make a Better World (Kenya) in Mukuru Slum

So this is part of the Life section of our blog.

Dan is starting and Victoria will fill in more info. about Mukuru Slum where she works.

Below are maps, video and background information about the slum area.

MaBWoK is a tiny organization which is truly grassroots.

It was started by a few friends who lived in the Mukuru area in 1999 starting with youth education.

Now they do

Early Childhood Development

Internet & Computer Training

Adult Literacy

Cyber Cafe

Entrepreneurship Training

Business (Plan) Development

Sales of Water

Feeding Program

Saving and Loans Groups

HIV/AIDS Awareness

Child Protection Programs

Maternal Health Programs

Vocational Skills Training (ie. Brick making, metal fabrication, etc).

Small Scale Manufacturing Skills (ie. Dress Making, Soap Making, Etc).

Perhaps they are trying to do too much with too little... but they have been a part of the community for over a decade and have helped make Mukuru a better place a little at a time.

Rooftops Panorama

This is a photo from the second story Balcony of MaBWoK


This is one of the cleaner areas.

This Is the place

View Larger Map

Click Here for In-depth Information on the Slum

This is a terrible thing that recently occurred there

Hot Hot Mediterranean Salsa Chicken with Quinoa Cakes

Mediterranean Salsa Chicken with Quinoa Cakes

MSC!

Oven at 375

Salsa is

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 green Chili

1 red Bird Chili

handfull of fresh Cilantro

Handfull of fresh Parsley

1/4 red onion

Zest of one lemon

Pinch of sea salt

(I would also recommend a small tomato chopped... we did have one on hand)

Rub breasts with olive oil salt pepper, Put on broil pan

dolup the salsa mix on top of the chicken, squeeze of lemon over top and throw into the oven.

Quinoa Cakes

Put a pan on the stove with a enough veg oil to just cover the bottom

Put left over quinoa and veg (from last night) into a bowl

Add two eggs and 1/4 cup corn starch (or white flour if you can eat gluten)

Mix it up and form two inch circular patties

Place in the hot pan cooking each side till golden

Plate with a pinch of salt and pepper

Shaved Cucumber Salad

Shave a cucumber lengthwise (use a speed peeler)

In a jam jar

1/2 clove of garlic smashed to a paste Jamie's How to Videos

3 tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch salt and pepper

Shake well and dress salad

Guacamole

One giant avocado in a bowl

add 1 1/2 cloves garlic (pasted)

add 2-3 heaping table spoons of plain yogurt

pinch of salt and pepper Squeeze of lemon Juice

yum!

Lime Chili Tilapia with Quinoa and Veg.

Lime Chili Tilapia with Quinoa and Veg

Since Tilapia is the only fish you can find in most places in Nairobi that is the fish we used.... however any white fish would work with this recipe.

Start by putting the quinoa in a pot and filling with water till it just covers the grain.

On the stove on high.

Put the veg in a metal colander or a steam top level on top of the quinoa. Add the harder veg immediately (like carrot) and softer veg about half way through (like zucchini)

We used:

Broccoli

Carrot

Zucchini

Move on to the fish (this is the amounts for two filets..... make sure it is thawed if you have frozen filets)

Oven at 375

Chop up 2 cloves garlic (a handful of Fresh basil would be nice too... but we have not found it in Nairobi)

thin slice 1/4 inch red onion (break up rounds to get delicate

Thin slice 4 slices of red jalapeno (or more slices if green)

thin slice 4 slices of a lime (cut in half and take the slices from the centre)

In a broil pan rub the fish with olive oil, salt, pepper and Garlic (+basil)

Add above sliced ingredients make them distributed relatively evenly under and and on top of the fish.

Slice half a red/green etc into little finger size pieces and add them to the broil pan

Squeeze the remaining lime over the fish and throw into the hot oven.

ok now....

Cook the Quinoa till the water is gone.... give it a taste test so you know it is moist... add a little more water if needed

Fork check the veg till soft but not mush... take it off if done before the quinoa

Add salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon to the quinoa (to taste)

Mix in the veg

mmm....

so make extra quinoa and veg cause the next recipe is awesome!

COMING SOON! Chilli-lime Snapper And Spicy Quinoa with Veg

Warning: We put too many chilli's in our dishes, lips burn, eyes water, throats are on fire and worse ensues later.

We recommend that you spice to your taste or tolerance.

British Airways and Layovers

Hi!

Made it to Nairobi just in case you didn't realize from all the other mediums of communication I use.

The flights were bareable (actually the one from London to Nairobi was luxury... I had an exit seat!).

At my layover in Toronto I stopped at an airport eatery called Beaches and had a thai chicken curry soup that was actually quite tasty.... though my hunger may have altered the actuality, Air Canada does not give you in flight meals. The best part of British Airways was the tea...mmmm.... and the roast dinner was intriguing....

Mini yorkies, parsnips, carrots, potato, white roll and three slices of roast beef.... it felt well.... Very British.

Dan arrives alive!

Dan arrived in Nairobi Monday evening, late. So awesome to be together again finally! He was armed with loads of new seasons of Jamie Oliver so guess what we have been doing? Watching and cooking, yes. Along with some exploring Nairobi and introducing him to people at work, friends, etc. On the first morning I made up a nice brunch- complete with GF pancakes, herbed omelette with soft herbed cheese and italian salami, and a tropical fruit salad.

Gf pancakes:

-1/4 cup sweet potato flour

-1/4 cup amareth flour

-1/4 cup maize flour

-1/4 cup soy flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 egg

-1 cup (ish) of milk and whisk until right 'pancake' consistency. I like mine thinner so I thin out the batter quite a bit...

Drop batter into a hot oiled pan in whatever size you like. Wait for the bubbles on the pancake before flipping them over!

Herbed Omelette:

-Whatever herbs you have- I had parsley and chives

-3 eggs

-1/4 cup of milk or cream

-salt and pepper

-half chopped chilli

Whisk everything together and pour into a pan on medium heat- then turn down to low and cover to let the omelette cook slowly- about 10 minutes depending. When it's nearly cooked- drop the italian salami and soft cheese overtop, fold the omelette and pull off the heat and onto a plate.

Tropical fruit salad

-Chop up equal size pieces of banana, mango, papaya, pineapple- stir in passionfruit seeds and a squeeze of orange juice- Serve with plain yogurt and honey.

Kenyan Pizza

I was craving pizza. As a wheat free diet girl this aims to be a constant problem for me. So I concocted a GF dough- which, as usual, wasn't very good..So I will not be giving you the recipe. However the toppings were wonderful- I had some pre-made tomato sauce so I added more sauteed garlic, onion and balsamic vinegar (secret trick to major success in tomato sauces!). I covered that with sliced zucchini, green pepper, chillis, feta cheese and gouda cheese, and italian salami. (Yes those were the ingredients in my fridge and that's why they were chosen).

350 for a bit and then fired it up to a broil to get some nice colour and crispness. It was still delicious, in my gluten free world.

Mombasa Market

spices, grains, chillis, fruits and veg, and the last one- tamarind fruit.

Roasted Veg and Lemon Basil Chicken

r
Roasting tray- check.

sliced potatoes and butternut squash- check

(roast these guys first for about 15-20 min on 350, then pull out the tray and add the rest. Alternatively, you could par-boil the potatoes/squash first and then throw them all in together)

Awholebunchofothervegetableschopped- check

make sure there is many cloves of garlic- check

balsamic, dried herbs, chillis, olive oil, salt and pepper.

ROAST- High high heat to get that caramelization...Check on them, toss them about...20 min later you should be in business, depending on oven.

Lemon basil chicken-

sauté chicken in pan with lemon juice and basil.

Done.