Hello my dears, and welcome back to the show!
If you’re looking for summer cooking inspiration, you’re in the right place. Today, I’m joined by Kiano Moju, a Kenyan-Nigerian American chef and author of AfriCali—named one of the best cookbooks of 2024 by The New York Times, Bon Appétit, and The Los Angeles Times. I’ve already tagged so many recipes from her book, including the Cauliflower Bhajias, and she’s shared the recipe below!
Side note: As I explained in this post, I tossed smoked chicken wings in Kiano’s Poussin sauce (page 116 in AfriCali) for a Memorial Day party—and they were outrageously delicious.
Kiano talks about her approach to cooking—rooted in simplicity and bold flavors. She weaves together the Kenyan, Nigerian, and American flavors she grew up with in a way that’s deeply personal yet totally accessible. We get into summer cooking, and she shares two game-changing tips that will bring more ease and flavor to your meals (with hardly any effort). These are going to transform your summer table.
We also dive into the idea of thriving—a theme I’ve been exploring throughout the season (see here and here). Kiano shares a simple shift she made that brought more joy and ease into her work life. It’s a beautiful reminder that thriving isn’t always about big changes; often, it’s the smallest adjustments that make the biggest difference.
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You can listen to (or watch) today’s episode right here, or, better yet, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or You Tube.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about the episode. Also, are there any dishes you’re excited to make this summer?
xo, Nicki
Instagram | Recipe Index | Website | More Recipes | Cookbooks
Episode Links
Kiano’s website
Kiano’s book, AfriCali
Find Kiano on Instagram
Podcast episode mentioned with Zaynab Issa:
Podcast episode mentioned about the science of thriving:
My personal reflections on thriving:
Cauliflower Bhajias
By Kiano Moju
Excerpted from AfriCali: Recipes from My Jikoni. Copyright @ 2024 by Kiano Moju. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
Let’s be real. The best way to eat cauliflower is fried. As the East African cousin to Indian pakoras, bhajias are fried potatoes coated in spiced chickpea flour. Creating odd shapes makes for better bhajias, as there are more nooks and crevices for the soon-to-be crispy batter to cling to.
Serves 4
1 medium head cauliflower
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 fresh medium hot chili peppers, such as serrano or Fresno
Handful fresh cilantro Neutral oil, such as avocado or
peanut oil, for frying
⅓ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon Garlic Ginger Paste (page 231)
Fine sea salt Sea salt flakes
Lemon wedges, for serving
1 Cut the florets off the cauliflower and break them into 1-inch pieces. Cut the stalk into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.
2 With a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin, roughly crush the coriander seeds. Finely chop the chili peppers (remove the seeds for a milder flavor) and cilantro (both leaves and stems) and transfer to a mixing bowl.
3 Fill a medium heavy-bottom pot with 2 inches of oil, and heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (180°C). Line a plate with paper towels and place it beside the stove.
4 While the oil heats, to the mixing bowl with the coriander seeds, chili peppers, and cilantro, add the chickpea flour, cornstarch, garlic ginger paste, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk everything together and slowly pour in some water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the batter is slightly runny and has a few lumps. Be careful not to add too much water or the batter will become too runny; if this happens, add extra chickpea flour, a teaspoon at a time, until the batter thickens again.
5 Coat a few cauliflower pieces in the batter and shake off any excess. Fry the cauliflower pieces in the hot oil, and cook in batches to not overcrowd the pan, frequently turning the pieces until they are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
6 Remove and place on the paper towel–lined plate, and immediately season with sea salt flakes to taste. Serve warm with lemon wedges.
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