•As Covid-19 spreads throughout the globe, usual Easter holiday activities have taken a backseat - with weekends away cancelled and families unable to visit one another as social distancing requires Kenyans to stay home.
It's Easter weekend, beginning today up to Monday, but with 'Stay home' calls, it's hard to enjoy this holiday to the fullest.
With the current partial lockdown conditions, spending time with friends and family may seem hard.
For those who are used to going out over the Easter holidays, you could bring the restaurant setting to your house even as we maintain social distancing.
As Covid-19 spreads throughout the globe, usual Easter holiday activities have taken a backseat - with weekends away cancelled and families unable to visit one another as social distancing requires Kenyans to stay home.
Restaurants have been restricted to only doing deliveries and food take outs and bars are closed for those who love indulging in delicious food and good alcohol.
But is it possible to have a good time and delicious meal during this period? Yes.
This is the time to cook and eat together.
The highlight of many people’s Easter weekend is the big Sunday lunch and you don’t have to miss out just because you can’t leave your home.
If you do not have your own recipes, share and do an 'exchange programme' with your friends or family, tell them what you want to cook and let hem chip in.
With this, you are capable of cook something using the recipe that you have without having to yearn for eating food at the restaurant of your choice.
Video call
If you want help with making the dish from your friends and family who are not with you, you can use Zoom, Face time or Facebook to do a video as they watch you make the meal.
This will make you feel a sense of togetherness. If the family also wishes to make their own meal, they can be preparing the meals as you video call.
Don’t forget to arrange a time for a video call at the dinner table too, so you can sit down, have a chat and eat your meal together as a family.
What to make
One can start with a typical breakfast offered in any restaurant.
We're talking pancakes.
How do you make thme? Here is a tip. Take two ripe bananas, two glasses of milk, one kienyeji egg, one teaspoon of baking powder, two tablespoons of sugar, three tablespoons of oil, one-and-a-half glasses of lukewarm water and two teaspoons of turmeric powder to bring the yellow color. You can add any other spice that you would wish.
Procedure
Put the two bananas in a blender, add milk and blend, then transfer to a bowl. Add the egg in the mixture and whisk it.
Mix dry ingredients together then add to your first mixture. Add the water but note that the paste should not be too runny or too thick. Add the oil and mix the dough thoroughly.
Heat the pan but it should not be too hot. Pour the first mixture in the pan. Let it cook until the bubbles dry, then you can turn the other side.
For flavour, add a small splash of maple syrup to the pancake batter.
This severed with hot tangawizi tea or coffee makes all the difference.
Another alternative for the breakfast or what you can eat in addition to the pancake is sweet potatoes, samosas, chapatis or groundnuts.
For lunch, try grilled chicken
Grilling chicken breasts is the easiest and most delicious way to to chow down on chicken. Add juicy grilled chicken breast to your menu.
Procedure
You will need; Four boneless skinless chicken breast halves, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons olive oil, tow teaspoons of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of lemon -pepper seasoning.
Tenderise the meat a bit. Place the chicken on top and cover the chicken with another piece of plastic.
Next, grab a meat mallet or rolling pin and give the thickest part of the chicken a few firm whacks. You don’t need to pulverise the cut, but do flatten it slightly so the breast is an even thickness from end to end.
This step helps cook the chicken evenly, keeping one end from drying out before the other has time to cook.
Marinate the chicken. Place the vinegar, oil, lemon juice and lemon pepper into a medium-size bowl or pan, then add the chicken. Turn and flip the chicken to coat, then cover.
You can store in the fridge the night before cooking the meal. Marinade is a crucial part of keeping your chicken juicy (and adding extra flavor).
Clean and grease your grates.
Once clean, brush the grill rack with oil. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil, then use long-handled tongs to carefully rub it over the grill rack.
Turn or get the heat up to medium, then use tongs to place the chicken breasts on the grill.
If using a charcoal grill, you can gauge the temperature by holding your hand five inches above the cooking grate. If you can keep it there comfortably for 4-6 seconds, it’s at medium heat.
Cover the grill and let the chicken cook for 5-7 minutes, then use tongs to flip the breasts over. Grill for 5-7 minutes longer. Ensure it does not burn.
Remove the chicken from the grill, cover with foil and let the chicken rest.
You can put grilled chicken in just about anything: sliced on top of salads, stuffed into sandwiches.
You can enjoy it with rice, and some soup.
Finally dinner time.
Since you have cooked so much during the day, you don't have to kill yourself for supper too.
Simply make chapatis and beef stew or chicken stew coupled with vegetables and eat any left over left during lunch period.
