AfriCali : Recipes from My Jikoni (A Cookbook) by Kiano Moju

NAMED A BEST COOKBOOK OF SUMMER 2024 by FORBES and FOOD & WINE. African cuisine is infused with Californian culture to create delicious, unique meals in this beautiful fusion cookbook.

Kiano Moju was born to a Kenyan mother and a Nigerian father and raised in California. While she spent her summer breaks in Kenya, her home in the states during the school year held African house parties where Nigerian jollof rice, moin moin (steamed bean cakes), roasted chicken legs, and plantains were a common part of life.

On weekends and special occasions, they would make Kenyan dishes like samosas, sautéed collard greens, barbecued meat, and other favourites from her childhood including Ethiopian and Eritrean recipes. As Kiano says, “Californian cuisine embraces the flavours of its immigrant communities while celebrating the state’s agriculture and the flavours of fresh produce,” and that’s the concept behind her cooking. AfriCali is not a traditional cookbook, but rather one inspired by the delicious meals Kiano has experienced in life.

The recipes are unfussy but dedicated to flavour including: Peri Peri Butter Herby Harissa Lentil Nuggets, Cherry Tomato Kachumbari Kijani Seafood Pilau Chicken and Okra Wet Fry, Berbere Braised Short Ribs, Coconut and Cardamom Mandazi, Garlic Butter Chapos, Pili Pili Pineapple Margarita The gorgeous food photography as well as photos from the author’s travels in Africa make this a cookbook like no other. Dive in and enjoy the delicious, unique meals that the whole family will love.