Pictured is kinolo, a traditional form of banana bread among the Mijikenda. I bought it in Jilore, near Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Kilifi County. It costs Ksh. 30 a piece in Kilifi and environs. Kinolo is made using ripe bananas mixed with flour (too much flour ruins the bread) and pounded. The paste obtained is wrapped with banana leaves and left to simmer in a pot. Making kinolo was meant to preserve excess bananas in a season they were too many to be eaten in raw form before going bad. Other than the preservation bit, a traditional form of banana value addition.
In the old days, kinolo was packed for travellers who were embarking on a long trek because it is a complete meal and very filling. Kinolo goes well with black tea or coffee. It also has a shelf-life of a few days more than your usual bread.
