Taste Pinpoint
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Kenyan Cuisine
Hospitality Student Pens African Cookbook
By Jennifer Olds

"What do people eat in Kenya?" and "Can you recommend a good Kenyan restaurant" are two questions that Cal Poly Pomona

hospitality management major James Mbugua often hears from friends and acquaintances.

A native of Kenya, Mbugua responds by preparing dishes adapted from childhood recipes, taking into consideration the availability of ingredients as well as contemporary eating habits. His cooking has proven so popular he recently assembled a collection of favorite recipes in a cookbook tentatively titled "Across Africa."

  "My favorite aspect of African cuisine is that it is a communal affair," he says. "When we dine, extended families often eat together from one central sinia, a tray in which all the food is served. Everyone, young and old, reaches into the sinia with their hands, laughing and telling stories. It's a total sensory experience."

Cooking has always been Mbugua's passion. He graduated from Kenya's only hotel school and moved to the United States to continue in higher education. His personal goals include earning a bachelor's in hospitality management, a master's in marketing management and a doctorate in international business. Receipt of a prestigious James Beard Scholarship Award enabled him to enroll in Cal Poly Pomona's top-ranked hospitality management program. In 2001, Mbugua received the university's prestigious President's Council Scholarship.

"What I like most about Cal Poly Pomona is the 'hands-on' approach to teaching and the availability of teachers with tremendous real-world experience," says Mbugua. "The relationships between the Collins School of Hospitality Management and the industry help make our transitions into the workplace, through internships, so much easier."

Mbugua plans to focus on marketing "Across Africa" for publication with a career goal of becoming an international hospitality consultant.

"But," he adds, "I hope to always write about food and culture."

PILAU RICE WITH BEEF STEW

Beef Stew
Ingredients
1lb. beef steak - cut into bite size cubes
2 carrots - slice widthwise
2 green peppers - chopped
4 medium Roma tomatoes - chopped
4 small yellow onions - chopped
Fresh coriander
Cooking oil
Black pepper to taste
Curry powder to taste
Seasoned salt to taste
Table salt to taste

Preparation
Fry the onions until they turn golden brown • Add carrots, green peppers and tomatoes, cooking slightly (three minutes) at a high temperature, stirring constantly • Season the meat with seasoning salt • Add the meat in when the carrots have become slightly soft • Season with black pepper and curry powder to taste • When meat is slightly brown, adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste • Allow the stew to simmer for five minutes and sprinkle fresh coriander • Serve hot with Pilau (see recipe below)

Pilau
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb rice (preferably Basmati)
1/2 lb frozen green or sweet peas
2 tsp Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
1 medium yellow onion - sliced
4 Medium Roma Tomatoes - peeled and diced
2 1/2 cups Vegetable broth - (adjust depending on rice type)
Cooking oil
Salt to taste (if broth is salt-free)
Cilantro - chopped

Preparation
Boil the broth in a large pan and add the Masala and salt to taste (if needed) • Heat the oil in a medium size pan • Add the onions and fry to a golden brown • Add tomatoes and fry until they are slightly soft • Add the seasoned bort and immediately add in the rice • Add the peas when the liquid comes back to a boil • Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the rice is soft and all liquid is absorbe • Add the cilantro and mix in gently with a fork • Serve hot

Panorama is published by the Office of Public Affairs at Cal Poly Pomona.
Questions or comments? Please email publicaffair@csupomona.edu.