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“There was once a chat about our favorite cheeses and before you knew it, we were making our own”, Managing Director Kalpa

Padia explains as she looks back on how Raka Cheese was born. Raka is a Kenyan family business, and when Rajesh and Kalpa

Padia started making cheese back in 2002 they decided to use the first two letters of their names to form the company name,

Raka.

Starting their production in Nyeri, the first cheese they ever made was the Raka Cheddar Cheese. It quickly became popular

and they started distributing it to one of the country’s leading supermarket chains. Since then, Raka has grown its production to 9

varieties and has successfully started exporting cheese to South Sudan, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda and Tanzania.

In 2010, Rajesh Padia passed away, but Kalpa is proudly carried on the family business making sure that the Raka name is

continuously associated with quality cheese.

Kenyan Cheese Ruling in East Africa

Raka Cream CheeseThe fabulous flavours of Raka Black Pepper, Raka Garlic, and

Raka Original Cream cheeses are now packaged in smaller

quantities to enable fresher and convenient use and storage.

Raka Feta CheeseRaka now makes the most delicious Feta cheese from cow milk.

Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Raka

Feta is a crumbly cheese, produced in blocks, and has a slightly

grainy texture.

Raka Nyeri BlueA very strong flavoured blue cheese formed through the use of

edible fungus. It is favoured as a biting accompanied with wine.

Raka PizzaA perfect combination to give consumers who want a cheddary

taste in addition to mozzarella. It is designed to melt well on pizza

while remaining chewy.

INGREDIENTS:

200 gms Raka Paneer cubes3 onions diced4 big red tomatoes diced1 tbsp garlic paste1 tbsp ginger paste1 tsp cumin seeds4 cloves4 sticks of cinnamon1 tbsp coriander powder½ tsp chili powder80 gms cashew nuts soaked in water for at least half an hour200 ml fresh cream3tbsp oil Fresh coriander for garnishing ( cilantro)Salt to taste METHOD:

Heat oil. Put in cumin, cloves and cinnamon. Let it fry on low heat for about 30 seconds. Add onions and fry them till they’re pink and add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cashew nuts, coriander powder, chili powder, and salt. Cook till tomatoes are soft and tender. Let it cool for a while. Then grind it all in a mixer into a smooth paste. Transfer back into the cooking pot and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add Raka Paneer, fresh cream, and coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan.

Raka CheddarThis excellent cheese is mild and creamy with a clean, pleasant aroma and flavour.

Very versatile, it can be eaten at breakfast and all other meals.

Raka ShrikandShrikhand is an Indian sweet dish made of strained yogurt. It is one of the main

desserts in Gujarati cuisine and Maharashtrian cuisine. It is also served with Gujarati

thali sometimes as a sweet dish.

Raka PaneerAn Indian cottage cheese, it is bland in taste which allows absorption of salt and spices

or herb flavouring upon cooking. It is a high protein food.

Raka Paneer Makhani Recipe

By Joseph Kibiru

UP TOWN UP TOWN

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