Kenyan Comfort Food: Irio, Beef Stew, and Tropical Bread Pudding Recipe 2024

Kenyan Comfort Food: Irio, Beef Stew, and Tropical Bread Pudding

In this article, I am going to show you how to make a Kenyan Kikuyu delicacy, called Irio. For those who don’t know what Irio is, this Beef stew. On top of that, I will also show you how to make a tropical bread pudding.

This recipe guides you through preparing a delicious Kenyan comfort food spread featuring three distinct dishes: Irio, a vibrant vegetable mash; a flavorful beef stew; and a tropical bread pudding for dessert. Make sure you read the article to the end to make the perfect Irio and ask any questions in the comment section.

Irio (Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Corn, and Greens):

Ingredients:

These ingredients are easy to find. You can buy them from any grocery shop around or the nearest market. For me to make the dish, it cost me a total of 600 Kenya Shillings.

• 6 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-2 cups chopped spinach or pumpkin leaves (washed)

Instructions:

1. Cook peas and corn: In a medium pot, boil peas and corn until tender (15-20 minutes). Make sure you check through your peas and corn before cooking to remove any stones, especially if you have just removed them from the garden.
2. Boil potatoes: Wash your potatoes before you cook them using running water to remove any dirt. In a separate large pot, boil potatoes with salt and pepper until fork-tender (15-25 minutes). Drain most of the water, reserving some in the pot.
3. Simmer greens: Add chopped greens to the potatoes with the reserved water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
4. Mash and combine: Transfer potatoes, greens, peas, and corn to a large bowl. Mash to your desired consistency. Let cool slightly before serving.

Beef Stew:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander-cumin powder (or 1/2 teaspoon each)
• 1/2 teaspoon mild red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water)

Instructions:

1. Boil beef: Wash your meat before boiling it. In a covered saucepan, boil beef with 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. If after boiling you find that your meat is still hard, just boil it for a little bit longer.
2. Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in the saucepan. Add onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Stir in ginger-garlic paste.
3. Add vegetables and spices: Add bell peppers, cook briefly, then add spices (curry powder, coriander-cumin powder, chilli powder, cinnamon powder, salt, and garam masala).
4. Simmer and thicken: Add chopped cilantro, reserved beef cooking liquid, and cooked beef. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Thick the sauce with the cornstarch slurry if desired.

Tropical Bread Pudding:

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of stale bread (French, challah, or brioche), cubed
• 1 (15 oz) can tropical fruit cocktail, drained (with some juice reserved)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup Amarula cream liqueur (optional)
• 5-6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Remember that this is important because it helps your food cook evenly.
2. Combine bread and fruit: In a baking dish, combine cubed bread and fruit cocktail.
3. Prepare dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cardamom, and salt.
4. Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together whipping cream, Amarula (if using), coconut milk, and evaporated milk.
5. Combine custard ingredients: In a third bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla extract. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk well. Then, add the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
6. Assemble and bake: Pour the custard over the bread and fruit mixture, ensuring everything is covered. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Bake uncovered: Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the centre is set and the edges pull away from the dish.
8. Cool and serve: Let the bread pudding cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Kachumbari (Optional):

This is an optional dish and you can add it to your meal or not. I promise you that this will make your dish sweater.

Ingredients:

• 2 onions
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

To make your Kachumbari, cut your onions into nice little pieces, then on a separate dish, cut your tomatoes into small pieces. Mix the two ingredients and add the half a teaspoon of salt. Done there you have your perfect Kachumbari to add to your Irio as a complementary dish.

If you loved the recipe, let me know in the comment section. If you have any queries, write me an email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Subscribe to the blog newsletter so that you will be the first to be notified when new recipes are uploaded.