Maybe it is the mixing process, or knowing how to add just the right amount of this or that and trying to make something bland interesting.
Or it could be taking different ingredients and producing something new.
Whatever it is, Zephaniah Shiwalo Obanda popularly known as Deejay Mr Fabz says there is a correlation between great deejaying and cooking.
Maybe it is the mixing process, or knowing how to add just the right amount of this or that and trying to make something bland interesting.
Or it could be taking different ingredients and producing something new.
Whatever it is, Zephaniah Shiwalo Obanda popularly known as Deejay Mr Fabz says there is a correlation between great deejaying and cooking.
In cooking, he says, you need to understand who you are cooking for. As a DJ, he also has to figure out the audience’s taste when reading a room or curating a mix.
“In cooking, the combination of spices and ingredients, allow you to create a great meal, whereas in curating songs, I can mix up different genres in different calculated quantities to come up with a great set,” he says.
Mr Shiwalo works as a DJ and a freelance IT consultant in research and innovation. He has a Master of Science in Information Technology. He is also a foodie.
“I have been told that I treat eating like a ritual,” he says.
The 27-year-old started cooking when he was in Class Six.
He started with frying eggs, boiling sweet potatoes and making traditional vegetables which he learnt from his mother.
Later on, his dad taught him how to make ugali and meat.
Cooking allows him to try out new recipes and cooking styles.
“I enjoy learning new things and finding different ways to express my creativity. I trust myself to whip up something delicious. There is so much room for creativity in cooking,” he says.
Most people are surprised that he can cook well. Some people still have the outdated notion that men do not know how to cook well. Then some have says that their first impression of him, based on how he looks, does not include throwdown skills.
Well-done chicken or beef biryani stand out for him.
“I also love traditional vegetables like managu and mrenda,” he adds.
After a heavy night out, a hot cup of chicken or beef broth with chili is usually his first craving. Samosa also works for him.
India is on his food destination bucket list.
“I love the great variety that Indian cuisine offers and would like to experience it first-hand. I enjoy traditionally prepared food and have found that Indian cuisine stays true to this, and to top it off, they also use fresh herbs and spices. They also have a robust street food culture which is something I would be very keen to experience,” he says.
His most memorable food experience was Burnt Ends at Joe’s in Kansas City, US in 2019.
He says the taste of the barbecue ribs has not left his taste buds.
“They had a distinct smokiness to them that I have not tasted anywhere else. The food was so good that I came back home with a bottle of their BBQ sauce,” he says.
He is planning on taking up a short culinary course in the future to learn how to prepare various styles of meats and pastries.
However, he would not pursue cooking professionally.
“Cooking serves as a great way to constructively pass time, especially now with having to stay home. It gives me something to look forward to and be excited about when I have a new recipe to try out. It also helps me save money that I can put to other uses,” he says.
His Chicken Fettuccine Recipe
Ingredients
-Fettuccine pasta
-Butter
-Boneless chicken cut in chunks
-Sliced mushroom
-Black pepper
-Heavy cream
-Garlic salt
-Parmesan cheese
Method
-Bring water to boil. Add Fettuccine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
-In a large skillet, brown chicken and mushrooms in butter until chicken is cooked through. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper.
-Add whipping cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly.
-Add parmesan cheese when at the desired consistency.
-Serve while hot.
Garlic sautéed potatoes with stir-fried beef strips
Ingredients
-Potatoes cut into pieces
-Garlic cloves
-Salt
-Black pepper
-Ginger
-Beef
-Onions
-Carrots (sliced into matchsticks)
-Zucchini
-Bell peppers
Method
-Place cubed potatoes in a pan of cold water, boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain off the water.
-Fry the potatoes in a large frying pan with hot oil, turning often until very lightly browned.
-Sprinkle on salt and pepper, garlic cloves, and cook again, turning often, for a further 5 minutes, until golden brown.
-Turn off the heat, allow to cool for 30 seconds. Stir then serve with a sprinkling of salt.
-Thinly slice the beef. Cut steak against the grain.
-Heat a large heavy pan or wok over high heat with 1 tablespoon oil.
-Add thinly sliced beef to the hot pan in a single layer and sauté undisturbed 2-3 mins.
-Stir and sauté 2 min or until nearly cooked through.
-Season lightly with salt and pepper, add ginger and garlic and sauté.
-Remove beef to a plate and cover to keep warm.
-Place a pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and any other preferred vegetable, season lightly with salt and pepper and stir fry until golden then remove to the plate
-Combine vegetables with beef, drizzle soy sauce to taste, and stir fry just until hot.
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