Kachumbari

Rinse the tomatoes, pat dry and dice into roughly 1–1.5 cm cubes so they hold their shape and don't turn to mush.

Peel the onion, cut in half and slice into very thin half-moons. Transfer to a bowl and gently rub with your fingers with a pinch of salt to soften it slightly while keeping it crisp.

Slit the chili pepper lengthwise; leave the seeds in for a spicier kick or remove them for a milder version. Chop as finely as possible.

Rinse the cilantro leaves, pat dry thoroughly and roughly chop; don't use the tough stem parts.

In a large bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, onion, chili and cilantro. Don't stir too vigorously so you don't release excess juice from the tomatoes.

Squeeze the lime juice over the salad, add salt to taste and toss with broad, gentle strokes from the bottom up.

Let the kachumbari sit for 10 minutes at room temperature so the onion absorbs the citrus tang, and serve right away as a fresh side to nyama choma, fried fish or ugali.