This Quick, Easy Kenyan Beef Dish Is My Family’s Favorite Weeknight Dinner

Beef wet fry—tender bite-size beef chunks coated in a thick tomato-based sauce—is a popular home-cooked dish throughout Kenya and this version comes together from start to finish in under 30 minutes. Serve it alongside rice or ugali (cooked cornmeal) for an easy weeknight dinner.

Side view of Kenyan Wet Fry
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Beef wet fry—tender bite-size beef chunks coated in a thick tomato-based sauce—is a popular dish in Kenya, and one of my favorite easy go-to dinners. When I was growing up in Kenya, my family would sit around the dinner table enjoying generous portions of the stew-like dish laddled next to ugali (cooked cornmeal) or white rice, all prepared by my grandmother.

Overhead view of Kenyan Wet Fry
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

In Kenya, “wet fry” is prepared throughout the country,and it's one of the most popular methods employed by home cooks. The term refers to meat (lamb or beef) that’s sautéed with a tomato-based sauce and it’s most commonly enjoyed with ugali or rice, just as my family does. It’s incredibly flavorful, yet it's simple to prepare, making it a great weeknight dinner option. My recipe is heavily inspired by the wet fry I grew up eating, but I use a different cut of beef and have streamlined the cooking process slightly.

For a Quicker Wet Fry, Choose Sirloin Steak

Wet fry recipes in Kenya will vary from household to household, but the traditional preparation is consistent: It starts with cutting tougher cuts of meat, such as lamb leg or beef chuck, into small, fork-friendly pieces and then boiling the meat until tender. Then the dish is finished with the Kenyan “fry” technique, in which the meat is sautéed until browned and tossed with the simmered tomato sauce.

Adding meat to pot
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

In Kenya, it’s practical to start with a tougher cut of meat since that's typically what's available, but when I make this recipe at my home in the United States, I streamline the cooking process by starting with sirloin, a more tender cut of beef that doesn’t require a long, gentle cook to tenderize it before searing. Eliminating the traditional step of boiling the meat saves over an hour of cooking time in my recipe. 

In the recipe below, I slice the sirloin thin and sear the beef in batches over high heat to develop good browning without crowding the pan. This prevents the beef from steaming as it cooks and ensures it has a flavorful crust. After briefly cooking, the beef is removed to a bowl and the sauce is prepared in the same skillet.

Dialing in the "Wet" Part of Wet Fry: A Silky and Flavorful Tomato Sauce

The “wet” part of wet fry is the sauce. It's almost always tomato-based, but the added seasonings can vary from household to household. I prefer an aromatic base of onions, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, and garam masala. The duo of garlic and ginger plus garam masala is widely used in coastal Kenyan cooking, where the cuisine has a strong Indian influence. I recommend using a microplane for grating both the garlic and ginger into a fine paste to ensure the flavors infuse throughout the thick sauce. (Alternatively you can start with already prepared garlic and ginger pastes, but they won’t have quite the same kick of flavor as fresh.)

Overhead view of Kenyan Wet Fry
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

I also add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the sauce. It adds concentrated tomato flavor and thickens the sauce slightly, ensuring the ideal velvety texture. The sauce only needs about 15 minutes to cook, and you’ll know it’s ready once the tomatoes are broken down and it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Once the meat and sauce are prepared, all that’s left is to stir the seared beef back into the sauce to coat—the entire dish comes together in under 30 minutes. Whether you're looking for a comforting meal or an introduction to Kenyan cooking—or both!—my hearty beef wet fry delivers on flavor and ease.

In a 12-inch stainless-steel skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the beef, spreading it out in a single layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook without moving until lightly browned on first side, about 1 minute. Toss and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fully browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.

Two image collage of meat cooking
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

After all meat has been removed from the pan, lower the heat to medium and if skillet is dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil if necessary. Add onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Overhead view of cooking onions and vegetables
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Stir in the garam masala, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to incorporate, until paste darkens, about 1 minute.

Side view of stirring meat into pan
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Add tomatoes, stir to combine and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes break down and vegetables soften into a cohesive, slightly chunky sauce, 7 to 8 minutes.

Overhead view of sauce thickening
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Once the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are cooked down, toss the seared beef back into the skillet, stirring to coat the meat in the sauce. Cook until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Two image collage of adding beef back in
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with ugali or white rice.

Overhead view of adding herbs into pot
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Special Equipment

12-inch stainless-steel skillet

Notes

For extra richness, you can substitute a portion of the tomato with beef broth or finish the sauce with a few tablespoons of coconut milk.

For grating the garlic and ginger, I recommend using a microplane.

For added spice, add a mild chili or chili flakes when adding the garlic.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Beef wet fry is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth if needed to create a saucy texture.

2 Science-Backed Tips for the Best Tomato Salad Ever

The vibrant mixture of fresh tomatoes tossed with raw onion, chile pepper, cilantro, and lime or lemon juice is a staple summer salad in Kenya and other East African countries. The five-ingredient tomato salad is easy to make, but for most flavorful version, we use a couple science-backed tricks when preparing. Pair it with grilled meats, serve it alongside rice, or spoon it over crusty bread.

Overhead view of tomato salad
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Light, fresh, and with a hint of heat, vibrant kachumbari is a staple tomato salad in many East African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, to name a few. In its simplest form, the East African salad features ripe juicy tomatoes, crunchy raw onion, spicy fresh chiles, and a hint of acid from fresh lemon or lime juice. I first learned to make kachumabri in Kenya, where it’s often served alongside nyama choma (grilled meat) and ugali, or paired with hearty rice dishes like pilau. While it's often enjoyed as an accompanying salad, it’s also a popular topping for street food dishes, such as mayai pasua (halved hard boiled eggs), smokies (halved grilled sausage), or rolex, mutura (blood sausauge). It adds a burst of fresh flavor to the simplest of dishes. I often tell those unfamiliar with kachumbari to think of it as pico de gallo’s less oniony cousin. Similar to the salsa, the beauty of kachumbari is its versatility. Variations of the salad are infinite, with cucumber and/or avocado being the most common additions.

Overhead view of salad
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

As with any tomato salad that relies on just a handful of fresh ingredients, the key to optimizing kachumbari’s flavor is not just in the quality of the produce you use, but also how the vegetables are prepared. This five-ingredient tomato salad is easy to assemble, but we use a couple of science-backed tricks in this recipe to build the most flavorful version possible. Read below for my tips and the full recipe.

Key Steps for the Most Flavorful Kachumbari

Start with fresh tomatoes, preferably plum. When I first learned to make kachumabri in Kenya years ago, I learned that plum tomatoes are the most widely available variety in the country, and it’s why I use them in my recipe here. The firm, not-too-watery texture of plum tomatoes works perfectly for this salad, but really any fresh, in-season tomato that you enjoy sliced up and served raw in a salad will work well here. I prefer the tomatoes diced into bite-size chunks, but you can also slice them into half-moon wedges if you prefer.

Briefly salt the tomatoes. We’ve written before about how even the best tomatoes can be vastly improve with salt. Salting facilitates osmosis, the process that draws liquids—in this case, tomato juice—from the interior of the tomato's cells through the cell walls to the surface of the tomato. More simply put, salting the tomatoes and letting them sit for just 15 minutes causes them to release their juices, which results in a final salad that's less watery and more intensely flavored than when made without salting them. Of course you can skip this step if pressed for time—just be sure to serve the salad immediately after tossing for best results.

Soak and rinse the onions. The combination of fresh onions paired with sweet tomatoes is this salad’s defining flavor profile. But to tone down the sharp flavor of the onion so it doesn't overwhelm the tomato, I recommend briefly soaking and rinsing the onion slices in warm water before adding to the salad. Make sure the water is warm to the touch—tap water that’s about 110℉ should be fine—as Kenji points out in his onion prep guide. The speed of chemical and physical reactions increase with temperature, so using warm water causes onions to release their volatile compounds faster than if using cold water. It only takes about one minute to rid even the most pungent onions of their kick. But make sure to not let onions sit in water for more than 5 minutes long after slicing: They'll actually start to get more pungent as they rest.

Overhead view of adding water to onions
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Add peppy flavor. Fresh serrano chile adds just the right hint of heat here. You can dial in the heat level to your liking by either leaving the seeds and veins in or removing them before slicing for a less spicy version. I prefer a spicier serrano chile, but milder jalapeño will work just as well. Chopped cilantro and a few tablespoons of lime or lemon juice brighten the flavor even more.

Bulk up the salad with your favorite fresh additions. My recipe below is a classic version of kachumbari, but feel free to experiment with additional ingredients like avocado, and/or cucumber, or any other salad ingredients you love. I just recommend not overdoing it; the simplicity of this dish is what makes it so wonderful and makes it a perfect addition to any summer meal.

In a large bowl, cover onion with hot water (110 to 130℉) and let sit for 1 minute. Drain with a colander, then briefly rinse under hot water, and transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

Overhead view of onions
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Place chopped tomatoes in the now-empty colander set over the now-empty large bowl and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally until tomatoes release their juices, a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Overhead view of tomatoes draining
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Discard juice from bowl, and transfer the tomatoes to the now-empty large bowl. Add the rinsed onions, serrano, cilantro, and lemon or lime juice. Season with salt and extra lime or lemon juice to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.

Overhead view of combining ingredients
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Variations

Common additions include diced cucumber and diced avocado. If adding avocado, make sure it is ripe but firm enough to hold its shape.

Special Equipment

Colander

Notes

The recipe can be doubled.

While Roma tomatoes are used to make the salad in Kenya, any fresh, ripe tomato can be used in this salad.

For a less spicy version, remove the seeds from the chile pepper before slicing and/or substitute with a jalapeño chile.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The onions can be rinsed and the tomatoes can be salted and left draining at room temperature for up to 1 hour ahead of making the salad.

Kachumbari is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 hour or refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before serving and drain any pooled excess liquid before serving.

The Savory 4-Ingredient Cornmeal Porridge That’s Fed My Family for Generations

This thick and hearty Kenyan cornmeal porridge is the perfect meal accompaniment: Ugali’s simple flavor profile means it pairs well with almost any meal, plus it comes together in only 15 minutes, and requires just four ingredients to make. Top it with your favorite stew or sautéed greens for a complete dinner.

Overhead view of Ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Ugali—a supremely satisfying dense cornmeal porridge—is a beloved staple dish in many East and Central African countries, including Kenya and Tanzania. I learned how to make ugali from many women on the Kenyan side of my family: my mother, Katano, my aunt Tilly, and my grandmother, who we call Koko. We’d stand over the stove together and I’d slowly whisk the white cornmeal into a big pot of water while my grandmother constantly stirred the mixture until it thickened. Together we’d flip it onto a platter, slice it, and serve it warm alongside dishes like sukuma wiki (sautéed collard greens) and beef wet fry (meat sautéed with tomato, garlic, and ginger). For me, it's a simple dish that carries the warmth and comfort of home, a true embodiment of family and tradition.

Side view of ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

While ugali can have different names, such as "pap" in Southern Africa, regardless of what it's called this simple dish most often appears in its most basic form: an extremely thick porridge made of just fine white cornmeal and water. In some variations, particularly in Maasai traditions, water can be substituted with stock, or a bit of milk and/or tallow can be added. Here I give instructions for preparing ugali as my family taught me—with just a few pats of butter or ghee and a pinch of salt to season it.

Overhead view of Ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

To me, ugali is the perfect meal accompaniment: It’s hearty and satisfying, its simple flavor profile means it pairs well with almost any meal, plus it comes together in only 15 minutes, and requires just four ingredients to make—and one of those ingredients is water! While it’s easy and quick to prepare, there are a few key steps to ensure that your ugali has a smooth and sliceable texture every time you make it. Here are my tips for cooking ugali that even my grandmother Koko would love.

4 Tips for Cooking the Best Ugali at Home

1. Use fine white cornmeal. To achieve ugali’s silky texture, it’s critical to start with the right type of cornmeal. In Kenya a fine white cornmeal called jogoo or maise meal is used. It’s the go-to cornmeal that is readily available at most markets. Its fine texture ensures the ugali has a smooth mouthfeel. When my family cooks ugali in the US, we make a point to use a fine white cornmeal, such as our favorite, Albers White Corn Meal. Quaker brand white cornmeal is also a good option. I have found fine white cornmeal labeled as harina de maiz in many US markets, which can also be used. Just make sure to not confuse harina de maiz with masa harina. Masa harina is nixtamalized cornmeal, and has a very different flavor than plain white cornmeal. Also make sure to avoid coarse cornmeal, grits, or polenta. These cornmeal options won’t achieve the desired smooth texture and they also require more water and time than listed in the recipe to cook properly.

2. Dial in the water to cornmeal ratio to achieve your preferred ugali texture. In Kenya, the consistency of ugali can vary from one household to another. It comes down to personal preference. Some Kenyans prefer ugali very firm, while others, including me and my family, enjoy it when it has a softer texture. The ratio of water to cornmeal is what determines the final texture. With the same cooking time, the more water that is added, the softer the ugali will be. In many Kenyan home’s, ugali is cooked so frequently that home cooks can just eyeball the quantities without measuring. But to achieve ugali that is firm enough to flip out of the pan onto a serving platter without falling apart, while also creamy, it’s important to use two parts water to one part cornmeal by volume to get the perfect consistency every time.

3. Cook until a thin starchy film appears before flipping. As the cornmeal porridge cooks it will thicken into a Play-Doh—like texture, a sign that it is almost ready to flip. But the best signifier for when it's finished cooking is when a thin starchy film appears along the bottom and sides of the pan. The is the sign that the starch is cooked to the point where it is gelling and sticking together, so it will hold its shape.

4. Serve it as a simple side dish. Ugali’s neutral flavor makes it incredibly versatile. It can be served with almost any protein or vegetable. When ready to serve, cut the ugali into wedges, and serve as a side dish. Ugali can be eaten with a fork or with your hands, and it's great for scooping up other foods. In my family, we enjoy it with beef wet fry and sukuma wiki, as mentioned above, but it also pairs well with most stews, braised meats, and vegetables.

Overhead view of ugali with sukama wiki
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

In a medium (3-4 quart) saucepot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add kosher salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee until melted.

Overhead view of butter in pot
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

While continuously whisking to prevent lumps from forming, gradually pour in fine white cornmeal. Once all the cornmeal is added, switch to a wooden spoon and stir the ugali, using the spoon to break up any lumps against the side of the pot as needed. Cook, stirring continuously until the water is absorbed and the ugali thickens, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook until the ugali forms a film along the bottom and sides of the pan and is firm enough to hold its shape, 4 to 5 minutes. The texture should be much thicker than polenta or grits and the ugali should hold its shape when pressed with the spoon. Use the wooden spoon to smooth it into an even layer and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Four image collage of mixing and smoothing ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Remove from heat and run a small offset spatula or butter knife along the sides of the pot to loosen the ugali. Hold a large serving plate flush to the pot, then invert the ugali onto the plate. The ugali should easily release from the pot onto the plate. If it doesn’t easily release, return it to the stove top and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Once flipped out, keep it covered with the pot or a large bowl until ready to serve, up to 20 minutes.

Four image collage of flipping ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Cut the ugali into wedges, and serve. 

Overhead view of sliced ugali
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Special Equipment

Medium saucepan (3-4 quarts), whisk, wooden spoon (preferably flat)

Notes

Make sure to use fine white cornmeal that has not undergone nixtamalization for this recipe. Coarse cornmeal or polenta or nixtamalized cornmeal (such as masa harina) will not achieve the same texture. Albers White Corn Meal is what my family has successfully used in the USA for years.

Ugali can be kept warm by covering it with the pot it was cooked in until ready to serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Ugali is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat by microwaving wedges covered with a damp paper towel to retain moisture.

The Vibrant Sautéed Greens I Cook on Repeat Every Week

Earthy, and deeply satisfying, these lightly sautéed Kenyan collard greens cook in under 30 minutes and pair perfectly with almost any meat, grain, or bread, to round out a full meal.

Overhead view of sukuma wiki
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Sukuma wiki—sautéed collard greens typically cooked with a fragrant combination of onions, tomatoes, and ginger—is a popular dish in Kenya and one of my favorite ways to eat dark leafy greens. While most kids have to be forced to eat their green vegetables, I have fond memories of eagerly eating these simply prepared collard greens alongside ugali (cooked cornmeal), both of which my Kenyan grandmother would prepare for me. 

View of lifting a bit of greens
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

At local markets in Kenya, sukuma (collard green) vendors hold a tight bundle of the fresh stemmed and rolled leaves in one hand while carefully shaving off ribbons of greens. Then they gather the shaved greens into bags for customers to purchase to make sukuma wiki at home. Each vendor has their own preferred cut that shoppers select from, sometimes sliced as thick as 2-inch wide ribbons and others finer than angel hair pasta. The convenience of being able to buy collards this way adds to their popularity: most of the prep is already done for the home cook. The prepped sukuma is as much a staple go-to convenience item in Kenya as bagged baby spinach is in the U.S.

Bowl of sukuma wiki
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

In Swahili, “sukuma wiki” translates to "push the week", referring to the dish's ability to stretch throughout the week until payday, thanks to the abundant availability and affordability of greens in East African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It is simple to prepare for any night of the week—requiring mere minutes in a sautée pan—while it is also nutritious, and a great and relatively cheap way to bulk up a meal. Here are a few tips for how to prepare and add flavor to sukuma wiki when cooking at home.

Tips for Cleaning and Cutting Sukuma Wiki

While most American supermarkets sell collard greens whole rather than pre-sliced like in the food markets in Kenya, if you follow my tips, washing and cutting the greens is still relatively easy. Don’t be tempted to save time and skip washing the greens. Bunched collard greens, like any type of dark leafy green that is grown in the ground, can have residual dirt that when left unwashed before cooking, can have an unwelcome gritty texture. Avoid this by taking the few minutes to fill a large bowl of water, then dipping the individual leaves briefly into the water and rubbing them clean before transfering to a colander to drain. A quick drain is all the leaves need for easier handling when slicing. It’s OK if the leaves are not completely dry when they hit the skillet. Any residual moisture will promote initial steaming and quickly cook off.

The next crucial step when preparing the greens for cooking is to remove the fibrous center stalk that runs through the middle of each leaf. The stalk is too tough to soften in the short cooking time, so it’s best to just remove and discard or compost them for this dish. Once cleaned and trimmed, stack a few leaves together and curl into a tight coil before running your knife through the greens to form thin ribbons.

Simple Flavor Additions for Sukuma Wiki

Each Kenyan has their own favorite combination of aromatics and spices to season the greens. Kenyan versions always include tomato and onion—a classic aromatic pairing found throughout Kenyan cuisine, but beyond that the flavors can vary slightly. Beef or chicken bouillon powder is a common seasoning used for its meaty umami flavor that’s so loved in the country. The duo of garlic and ginger is widely used in versions of sukuma wiki in coastal Kenya, where the cuisine has a strong Indian influence.

In my version, I keep the flavor profile simple, skipping the bouillon powder and garlic. A light sprinkle of salt, fresh tomatoes, onion, and ginger are the only flavorings I use. I love how ginger brightens and adds a pop of assertive peppery flavor to balance the earthy greens. The combination is simple, bright, and completely satisfying. 

Overhead view of ingredients for sukuma wiki
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

But don’t feel limited by the aromatics I’ve selected here. Use this as a starting point to be creative and add your own preferred flavors, whether it’s the simple addition of minced garlic, a touch of heat from red chile flakes to finish, or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. Whatever flavors you choose to enhance these sautéed collard greens is up to you, but I recommend keeping the combination simple.

I’ve included time ranges for both crisp-tender greens as well as a longer sauté time for more tender greens, which is how I prefer to enjoy my sukuma wiki. Whether you prefer your greens velvety soft as I do, or still with a bit of bite, these greens come together quickly and pair well with almost any protein, including chicken, fish, and beef. Or enjoy sukuma wiki as my grandmother and I do, as a light meal alongside Kenyan ugali (cooked cornmeal) or another simple starch such as rice, or chapati.

Working in batches stack a few stemmed collard leaves on a cutting board, placing the larger leaves at the bottom. Roll the leaves tightly and slice them into thin strips, approximately 1/8 inch wide. (Make sure they are not too thin, as they may clump together during cooking.)

Overehead view of collard greens cut into strips
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sliced onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Two image collage of onions browning
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Add tomatoes and ginger and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have released most of their water, about 5 minutes.

Two image collage of tomato and onions cooking
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Add collards to the pan and season with salt. Cook, lowering the heat as needed to avoid scorching, until collards have softened but retain a vibrant green color and slightly crunchy texture, 8 to 10 minutes. Or, if desired, cook until collards are fully softened and have darkened in color, 15 to 25 minutes total. Season with salt to taste. Serve.

Two image collage of adding and cooking down collard greens
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Special Equipment

Large skillet or sauté pan

Notes

If you can’t find collard greens, kale is the next best choice. I have used both curly and lacinato kale. They are a bit more finicky to chop due to the shape of their leaves, but they are closer in flavor to the original than other dark leafy greens such as Swiss chard, which is too bitter for this dish. 

My Grandmother’s One-Bowl Recipe for Pillowy-Soft Kenyan Chapati

With just a few pantry ingredients and the right technique, these soft and savory Kenyan flatbreads can be mixed, laminated, griddled, and ready for dinner in under an hour.

Overhead view of chapati
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

I've been honing the art of making chapati—the soft unleavened savory flatbread commonly served alongside meals in several East African nations—since my childhood in Kenya and I’ve been fortunate to pick up many tips and tricks from various family members along the way. The cooking process for chapati is relatively simple in theory: A one-bowl dough is mixed by hand, rested briefly, rolled, shaped, and cooked for just a few minutes on the stovetop. But I know from experience that it can take a bit of practice to nail the right technique to get this unleavened savory flatbread pillowy-soft and filled with flaky layers.

Most Kenyan families cook chapati a couple of times a week for supper. My grandmother makes the best chapati I've ever had, and after years of practice, I've come up with a method that allows me to replicate my grandmother's version every time. I typically make it at least once a month to keep my skills sharp and with the tips and recipe I'm sharing here, you can learn the art of making the best chapati too.

Side view of chapati in half
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Kenyan Chapati vs. Indian Chapati and Other Flatbreads

Despite sharing a name, Kenyan chapati and Indian chapati are not the same bread. The word chapati does reflect the heavy influence Indian cuisine has had on Kenyan coastal cooking, stemming from the large influx of Indian immigrants into Kenya since the late 19th century. But it would be more accurate to describe Kenyan chapati as a thinner version of an Indian paratha, as they both feature similar wonderful flaky layers. However, compared to Indian paratha, the amount of fat used in Kenyan chapati is reduced to ensure that the layers are soft and tender. 

Overhead view of adding oil
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

The Hallmarks of Excellent Kenyan Chapati

Kenyan chapati is known for its delectable flaky layers, achieved by laminating the dough with a fat such as lard, butter, or oil. While all three types of fat are commonly used in chapati, I prefer to use oil in mine for the neutral flavor it adds to the dough. I find this lets the earthy flavor of the whole-wheat flour in the chapati be more prominent. Chapatis are traditionally served with simple stews, sautéed veggies, or stir-fries in homes, but are also popular with street food vendors who use them as wraps for a variety of sandwiches.

This recipe offers one classic take on Kenyan chapati, but every cook in Kenya has their own methods for achieving this soft and flaky bread. Here are my tips for making chapati at home that even my grandmother would love.

Tips for Making the Best Kenyan Chapati

Choose the right flour

In Kenya, a fine 100% whole-wheat flour known as graded Atta mark 1 is the main type of flour that is available in grocery stores, and is therefore the flour used in making chapati. While this type of flour can also be found in Indian grocery stores, it's important to avoid flour labeled as “chapati flour” as a substitute, as this flour is usually a blend of whole-wheat flour and barley or chickpea flour, designed for making Indian chapati. 

Since Atta mark 1 flour can be challenging to find in most U.S. markets, I prefer to use a blend of all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour to replicate the finely milled whole-wheat flour sold in Kenya. Through testing many batches, I landed on a ratio of 3.5 parts all-purpose flour to one part whole-wheat flour. All-purpose flour absorbs water more readily than whole-wheat flour, which means more liquid can be added to the dough while the dough still retains its shape. The more hydrated the dough, the more tender the final chapati will be. When i tried making this dough with 100% whole-wheat flour and the same amount of liquid, the dough was wet and difficult to laminate and shape. While using all-purpose flour achieved the dough texture I wanted, I still wanted the signature earthy wheat flavor in my chapati. I found that combining 100 grams of whole-wheat flour with 350 grams of all-purpose flour produced that signature earthy and nutty whole-wheat flavor I wanted. The final blend of all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour work together for a chapati dough that is malleable, easy to shape with the complex flavor I wanted.

Add milk for a more tender dough

In my family, which is of Maasai heritage, we incorporate fresh milk in addition to water when making the dough, and that's reflected in this recipe. The additional fat, sugar, and proteins from the milk reduce gluten development in the dough and yield a softer texture than when water alone is used in the dough. After testing, I landed on a ratio of 2:3 parts by volume of water to milk for a dough that produces tender chapati.

Overhead view of adding milk
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Make sure the dough is properly hydrated and pliable

Proper hydration during the initial dough formation is essential for successful chapati. Under hydrated dough will result in a tough texture. If the dough still seems shaggy and dry after the milk and water are added, go ahead and knead in one additional tablespoon of water at a time until no dry flour remains.

Choose the right pan

Traditionally, a jua kali pan, a flat skillet used specifically for chapati is used to cook the bread, allowing cooks to confidently flip the chapati using their hands without the risk of burning their wrists. If you don’t own this type of pan, you can use a large skillet; the even heat retention of a seasoned cast-iron skillet is best. The diameter of the cooking surface should be at least 10 inches to accommodate the chapati. To flip without burning yourself, use a spatula to lift the chapati and use your hand to steady the chapati as you flip it.

Overhead view of chapati in pan
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Take it easy on the oil

One valuable tip I learned from my grandmother is to use very little oil in the pan when cooking the chapati. The skillet should be coated in just a thin film of oil when cooking chapati to prevent the dough from sticking to the skillet. Too much oil in the skillet will cause the edges of the chapati to fry and turn crispy, which is not the desired chapati texture. Remember, we want to keep the cooked chapati soft and pliable, not griddled and fried.

Grab some friends or family members to help out

Kenyan cooking is known for its social nature, making the process enjoyable so time flies by. In that spirit, chapati-making often becomes a communal event, with each person having their own role: one person might roll and shape the chapatis while another takes charge of cooking them on the stove. However, chapati-making is also serious business and each family knows who is skilled enough to tackle the task and who is most helpful washing dishes. But with these tips and this recipe, everyone can become a skilled chapati maker—no need to be stuck to dishes duty.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt. Slowly pour in warm water and milk while continuously mixing the dough with your hand until a shaggy dough forms. If needed, add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time to form dough. The dough should be sticky and still slightly lumpy at this stage. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and continue to knead by hand until fully incorporated.

Four image collage of making dough
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and continue to knead, flouring the surface as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough is elastic and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Pat the dough into a rectangle and lightly brush the surface with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Two image collage of stretching dough and adding oil
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a thin rectangle measuring 12 by 18 inches (it's okay if there are small tears). Lightly brush the entire surface of the dough with a thin layer of oil, then dust the top lightly with flour. This will help keep the layers separate. 

Two image collage of rolling out chapati dough
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a 18-inch long log shape. Cut the dough crosswise into 8 even rounds. Flip dough rounds so the cut side is face up, then press each piece into a small flat circle. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out each dough piece into a 9- to 10-inch disk, frequently rotating and flipping to maintain its shape and avoid sticking. Place side by side on a lightly floured work surface and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel while cooking.

Four image collage of rolling out chapati dough
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Preheat an empty 10 or 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (a drop of water dripped onto the surface should sizzle immediately), 2 to 4 minutes. Using a pastry brush, coat the hot skillet lightly with oil. Place 1 dough round into skillet and cook until the top surface is no longer sticky and a few bubbles form, and the bottom side is spotty brown, about 1 minute. Lightly brush the top with oil, flip, and cook until the second side is spotty brown, 30 to 60 seconds. While cooking, the chapati should bubble; this indicates that steam is passing through the layers, which will result in a flaky texture. This is a great indicator that the chapati dough has been properly laminated.

Four image collage of chapati cooking
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Repeat with remaining dough pieces, stacking cooked chapatis on a plate and keeping them covered with a clean kitchen towel until ready to serve. Serve chapatis warm.

Overhead view of covering chapati
Serious Eats / Michelle Yip

Special Equipment

10 or 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet

Notes

You can substitute the milk with water in the recipe, but the chapati will be slightly less tender and soft.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Store the chapatis in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm them in a dry pan over medium-low heat until they become pliable.