Chicken curry may be a common dish, especially in Indian cuisine, but there are diverse ways of preparing the delicacy. I learnt another way of preparing it through head chef James Mumo Mutua of Ol Pejeta Bush Camp who took me step by step, and also gave me another recipe of a side dish that goes well with the curry; cucumber raita.

Cucumber raita is made from yoghurt together with fresh cucumbers, herbs as well as spices, and it mostly accompanies biryani, pilau or chicken curry. Raita can help in keeping the body cool in hot temperatures, and is one of those healthy dishes to consider if you are on a diet.

Another thing I learnt is the difference between coconut cream and milk, which before meeting Chef James, I always thought were one and the same thing. While cooking the dish, the chef added the milk first before the cream to act as a base. The cream is added towards the end to make the soup rich and the taste last. 

Chef James’ culinary journey began 21 years ago. He used to visit his brother, a chef who was working at a camp in the Mara. Watching him cook would inspire him to take that path soon after he completed high school, having attained good grades.

He became an expert by observing and researching, and he also attributes his skills to a Caucasian chef who mentored him. He tells me that his passion is mostly preparing pastries, and when he cooks, he loves his team to be around. The joy of food is when it’s cooked in a room filled with love and unity, he says.

I tend to dread spicy foods, especially when they have a lot of pepper. Since this is a prominent feature of Indian food, James gave me a tip, which is to always have a glass of yoghurt nearby.