Addition to your Christmas menu: How to prepare Swahili Viazi Karai
By Cynthia Lodite, December 23, 2025Looking to add a coastal twist to your Christmas menu? Swahili Viazi Karai is a must-try!
These deep-fried, spiced potatoes coated in a light batter are a favourite street food along Kenya’s coast, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with flavour.
Easy to make and perfect as a starter or side dish, here’s how to prepare delicious Viazi Karai to bring a taste of the Swahili coast to your festive table.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
•6 Large Irish potatoes
•Water for boiling (approx. 4-6 cups)
•Salt to taste (approx. 4 tsp)
•A bowl of cool water
For the chili filling:
•1 tsp salt
•4 tsp red chili powder
•Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
For the batter:
•Salt to taste (approx. 1 1/2 tsp)
•1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1/8th tsp red/orange/yellow food coloring (1 tsp turmeric powder can be used to replace the food color)
500 ml cold water
•Cooking oil for frying
How to cook
– Peel and clean your potatoes. Cut them into medium-sized potato cubes.
-Add some cold water to a boiling pot together with some salt. Place your cubed potatoes in your salty water and boil for 15 min until slightly soft.
-Remove your potatoes from your pot and place them into a bowl of cool water to stop the cooking process and to cool them down for handling.
-Combine your chili filling ingredients together in a bowl.
-Combine your batter ingredients together in another bowl.
-Slightly cut your par-cooked potato cubes in the center. (about halfway) Spread some chili filling in between the potato cubes. Repeat for all the remaining pieces.
– Heat up enough cooking oil in a karai (frying pan).
-Dip your filled potato cubes in the batter, let the excess drip off, and place them into your hot oil.
-Fry for 6-8 min until your potatoes are crispy on the outside.
-Remove from the heat and drain the excess oil with kitchen towels.
Serve hot!