Viazi Karai — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Whole boiled potatoes coated in a fiery chili and turmeric gram flour batter and deep-fried until crunchy, a fiery Mombasa street snack.

Ingredients

1 Boil whole small potatoes until just tender, about twelve minutes. Drain, cool, and halve lengthwise.
2 Mix gram flour, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and salt. Add water to form a thick, smooth batter.
3 Heat oil to 175C in a deep pot or fryer until a drop of batter sizzles immediately.
4 Dip each potato half into the batter, ensuring full coverage, and carefully lower into the hot oil.
5 Fry for four minutes until the batter is golden, crispy, and the chili gives it a distinctive orange hue.
6 Drain on paper towels, squeeze fresh lime juice over, and serve with tamarind chutney.

Did You Know?

Viazi karai are so spicy in Mombasa that first-time visitors from Nairobi often need a glass of milk to cool down.