Shiko's Ferments

11/05/2025

Happy Mother's day to all moms aroud the world. And a special Happy Mother's day to all the wonderful women who have taken up the role of mom, filling gaps that other mothers may have left. You're all wonderful!

28/03/2025

Jana I got githeri for 2 for lunch(I stopped making it, I get it from the Kibandasky), and refused his share. He'd rather sleep hungry. Now, me and githeri cannot sleep in the same house. One of us has to go. So, I had my lunch and decided I'd have his githeri the next day.

But at around 8pm, I heard someone calling our my name. Mustachio said he hadn't called me. Turns our Mustachio's Githeri was calling out for me with all my government names. I had a small meeting with it, took less than 10 minutes. At night, I woke up suffocating! I nearly died in my room. I had to contend with mosquitoes just so I could breath!

I.woke up and drank all the Fermented juices that were left, but the only time the gas stopped trying to kill me was when I ate my Kimchi. It was instant relief.

Will I stop eating Githeri? No.

Will I stop buying from Mama Njenga? Again, no.

But when I have more than one serving, I'm sending it to the neighbour's fridge for the night.

Kimchi Rocks!

Go for your Kimchi at Eastnat Foods. I restocked already.

20/03/2025

When making salads, I chop up a small amount of Kimchi to add proiotics and flavor into it. This is usually for those who might be visiting my house who aren't too keen on the taste and/or flavor of Kimchi. The salad tastes delicious, and no one would know there's Kimchi in it. Win.

Kimchi will be available on Saturday.
0722419045

21/02/2025

I have see what appears to be a new wave of Juicing that has hit social media. I'm very happy to see people doing juice shots, especially those ginger shots, as they are very beneficial to your health. and I have been enjoying our fermented version of juice shots since I first learnt about them after watching Monique Idlett-Mosley bring her undercover business -Rooted, (now Ryla Wellness) to life on Glenn Stearns' Undercover Billionaire. If you can find it, watch it. I watched Glen Stearns and Monique Idlett while pausing to take notes.

In making and consuming these delectable juices, I have learnt quite a bit about juice shots, and want to share some of it with you today.

- Nutritional Value
Juice Shots are natures gift to us. Regular consumption of these will give you anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory benefits, among many other nutritional benefits. Every sip leaves you body happy.

- Absorption of the Vital Curcumin
The debate surrounding the addition of black pepper to turmeric shots is valid. Can your body absorb curcumin without black pepper? The simple answer is Yes. To some degree.

The longer answer, however, is this: Curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric, is rapidly metabolized by the liver and intestines, reducing its absorption rate. How can you increase its bioavailability?

☝🏾 Pair it with peppers. I prefer cayenne as my tummy isn't too keen on raw black pepper.
☝🏾 Pair it with healthy fats.
☝🏾 Ferment it.

In my case, I ferment my juices, which helps break curcumin down, making it more bioavailable for absorption.

- Refrigeration vs. Freezing
Making a large batch of wellness shots for the week is convenient, but how does storage affect their nutrients?

In their whole form, fruits and vegetables retain their nutritional value for much longer, whether refrigerated or not. However, once you blend or juice them, the breakdown process begins, significantly shortening their shelf life.

☝🏾 If consuming within 3 days, refrigerate your wellness shots.
☝🏾 If consuming after 3 days, freeze them.

Failing to store them properly means your wellness shots will rapidly lose their potency.

- Storage Containers
Food Grade Glass is the superior choice for storing wellness shots due to its non-reactive nature, meaning it won’t absorb flavors or leach chemicals into your juice. However, not all glass is suitable for freezing. If planning to freeze, choose thick bottles without 'shoulders'. Meaning, they should be straight.

But easier to use and access are PET bottles (Polystyrene Terephthalate). These are food grade plastic bottles which are light weight and are safe for freezing. They're also easy to carry. Ensure you get the right Pet bottles that are BPA free to avoid chemical leeching.

When freezing your wellness shots, leave enough head space to allow expansion. First cool your juices in the fridge for a few hours then transfer to the freezer.

- General Consumption Guidelines:
☝🏾 1 to 2 shots per day (about 30-60ml per shot) is generally safe for most people.
☝🏾 Spread out consumption - one in the morning and one later in the day if needed.
☝🏾 Always listen to your body - some people may be more sensitive than others.

As a fermented juice, I never need to freeze my juices. Mine sit in the fridge and continue to slowly ferment. We use them as a concentrate for making our regular drinks at home.

Happy Juicing!

19/02/2025

The first jar is from a batch from over a year ago, and has been fermenting in my pantry behind other recent ferments. The second jar is from a batch from Dec last year.

What have I learnt about long ferments?

1. I get deeper, more complex, layered flavor profile. The hot sauce that will come out of these two batches will probably be the tastiest I have ever made. I used to ferment for 2-3 weeks.

2. I can preserve ingredients for up to 10 years, even longer using the fermentation methods I have developed.

3. In these two, especially in the older ferment, I am getting diverse and resilient probiotic strains that support gut health.

4. Aging these habaneros has created a really unique, signature aroma and character and depth that younger ferments do not have.

5. Because of the depth of flavor, these peppers have an umami boost that makes them uniquely versatile, especially for marinades and condiments.

6. As a preservation method, this has proven to be sustainable, reliable, even in the absence of electricity or a fridge.

7. And finally, I know every single ingredient that goes into my ferments. and I have absolutely no doubt that the probiotics I have been nurturing are ALIVE.

Excited for this batch of hot sauces.
Your Partner

14/02/2025

When our Kimchi resolves your gut issues... also, when you discover the taste is actually good. Haya, go get your Shiko's Ferments Jar of Kimchi from Eastnat Foods, and experience the gut changing relief.

From one of our recent consumers:

"This is the secret to life! (Stoney, step aside for a minute)

Last year I was on some medication that messed up my gut health and it was quite the sport trying to fix it with all the usual fermented things: uji, plain homemade yoghurt, mala (sour milk), prescription probiotics ... Tried it all, but there was no headway, whew! But I didn't give up on the goal of getting my gut back to health (preferably this quarter).

Then I tried Shiko Kamiri's Shiko's Ferments Kimchi Napa Cabbage and I'm totally sold. When Shiko brought this to the shelves some time back, I honestly thought I wouldn't like it, at all. I'm really particular about taste and I generally won't try anything I imagine I will struggle with.

Then one day she wrote a post and I was ticking all the boxes 👀 and I was like, okay, this is a sign to just do this. So I ordered some from Eastnat Foods and I remember asking if there was a taster because I still thought I wouldn't like it. They said, there wasn't and maybe it won't taste good to you, but it's helpful. I was planning to buy it anyway and mentioned that I have eaten things I didn't necessarily like before and I wasn't buying it for taste, but for my gut.

So, I got a jar of the mild one and had a spoonful with dinner. It wasn't bad at all. The next day I noticed that my symptoms weren't as bad, and within three days I couldn't recognise my gut. Ni k**a nishapata ule mwili mpya already, yay! 😊

The taste is fine. I have a spoonful with dinner.
I'm totally sold. I didn't think it would work that fast. Now I'm looking for a sponsor for a new jar, because the way we gobble this down, 500g is not enough for all of us. Everyone loves it here!
I'm grateful that my gut is happy and healthy on this beautiful day.

Thank you Shiko for bringing this to our shelves and Eastnat for stocking it."

Eastnat Foods is located at HH towers, 8th floor Shop 807, opposite Naivas along Kenyatta avenue. You can call via 0711109431, WhatsApp via https://wa.me/+254711109431, shop online via www.eastnatfoods.com.

31/12/2024

Happy New Year!

17/12/2024

🎄 Here's your Holiday Feast Survival Kit: Kimchi Edition! 🎄

We all know how you plan to enjoy and indulge this holiday season, especially those days in the calendar between 24th and 2nd, where you don't know what day it is.

Don't forget to take with you your Kimchi, to help keep your gut happy and balanced. Our handcrafted Kimchi is Packed with probiotics to ease digestion and beat post-meal bloating, it’s the perfect addition to your holiday table.

✨ Why Kimchi?

- Supports digestion after heavy meals
- Boosts your immune system during the busy season
- Adds a tangy, flavorful twist to your holiday dishes

🎁 Grab yours today and gift your gut the joy of good health!

🌟 Order now for a healthy, happy holiday!

12/12/2024

12/12/2024

Mombasa Hawayuni!

16/06/2024

Happy Father's Day from Us!

12/06/2024

We know many of you have been missing our Napa Cabbage Kimchi, and we appreciate all your calls and messages. The recent Napa Cabbage shortage (due to the intense rains) has kept us on our toes, but we've got some great news: the supply is slowly but surely bouncing back! 🥳

While we’ve been waiting for the Napa Cabbage to return, we’ve stocked up on some equally delightful options to keep your taste buds happy. We have a couple of jars of 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢 and a few jars of 𝐂𝐮𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐦𝐜𝐡𝐢 available right now at Eastnat Foods, 𝐇𝐇 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫, 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝟖𝟎𝟕, 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭, 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞. Both are packed with the rich probiotics you love and are used to.

The good news is, starting next week, we'll have a fresh, ample supply of our beloved Napa Cabbage Kimchi ready for you. So, hang in there just a little longer. Your favorite kimchi will be back on the shelves before you know it.

Thank you for your patience and continued support. We can’t wait to see you soon!

1kg - Ksh. 1,200
500g - Ksh. 650
350g - Ksh. 450