Do you have an inquisitive palette or are you one of those people scared to touch a new dish? This trip is not for the faint of heart. Come with me as we explore Uganda’s best delicacies. And I mean delicacies, there are quite a number depending on who you are hanging out with or which one of Uganda’s 56 tribes they belong to. You see, each tribe swears by their dish to be the best that you will ever eat! Take for instance;
Luwombo
Luwombo, most popular among the Baganda, is considered a very special dish that is served to only important guests in their Culture. This is dish was exclusively served to Kings, Chiefs, visitors and in-laws at special occasions such as traditional marriages, festivals and last funeral rites. Luwombo is a stew that could either contain chicken, beef, goat, mushrooms in ground nuts, plain groundnuts or smoked fish steamed in soft smoked banana leaves for hours to infuse the scent of the leaves into the stew resulting into a mouthwatering taste. Luwombo is often served with staples like rice, posho, or matoke, making it a filling and satisfying meal. At a traditional ceremony the bride’s paternal aunt is placed in charge of preparing this dish, infusing it with love portions, and sitting in the presence of the groom to ensure he has eaten most of the chicken. Today, this Luwombo has been adopted by other tribes such as the Basoga in Eastern Uganda as food meant for their in-laws. It can also be found on menus on many Ugandan hotels and restaurants for a price slightly higher than the average cost of a plate of food.
Katogo
Though not attached to any particular tribe, you haven’t had breakfast in Uganda, if you haven’t tried out Katogo. Katogo literally refers to an assortment of foods, of no particular number cooked together in a one pot meal together with the stew. Its main ingredient is usually matooke (green bananas), cassava or Irish potatoes paired with beef, beans, ground nuts/peanuts or greens. It’s normally served steaming hot! In some places you will be surprised with the addition of rice or spaghetti on your serving. Make sure to be specific by asking details of what’s included. The cassava and beans combo (delicious with ghee) that was always served in my high school on a hot Wednesday afternoon though tasty was always too hot to swallow in the short 20 minutes meant for lunch 15 of which were spent lining up for the meal. Shortly after the meal, we couldn’t keep awake long enough to tell what that boring physics teacher was going on and on about. So, Beware! We need you sober enough to try the next dish! Insects!
Grasshoppers/Nsenene
A seasonal delicacy. No grasshopper eating Ugandan would dare call this delicacy insects. No way! Twice a year they appear, in the months of May and November, when the rainy season is at its peak. Mesmerized by the powerful white light that is used to lure them, grasshoppers come in droves and are collected using reflective tin sheets formed to the shape of a funnel whose end point is a collection drum. Their shelf life being very short, they must be cooked while they still have some life in them for best results! And so, you will know when its grasshopper season, as every matatu and salon car available will be filled beyond their capacity with white sacks and driven as fast as possible to the nearby markets! The biggest market of course being in Kampala city Centre. Once their limbs wings and antennae have been plucked off, the grasshoppers are pan fried often with onions and salt. Their alluring aroma will beacon you from your wildest dreams if your neighbor decided to fry them in the deep of the night. To say they are delicious is an understatement! and yet, not everyone in Uganda eats Nsenene. Baganda, a tribe in central Uganda takes it another notch, its taboo for people of the Nsenene Clan. But nothing beats our next dish and CNN thinks so too! And that is the Rolex!
Rolex
If you thought oh, I know that, it is a very expensive watch! think again! Rolex, is fried eggs rolled in a chapati. Basically, rolled eggs with an addition of sliced tomatoes and cabbage. This is the quickest street food all round. It is believed the Basoga resident in Eastern Uganda make the best Rolexes. But thank God, these were kind enough to move their Rolex making skills close. You will undoubtedly find a Rolex kiosk in every village, suburb, city, and just about anywhere in Uganda. The Rolex was in its early days popularized by University Students because of its low cost, fast preparation and its ability to keep one satisfied for a longer period, but has recently been adopted by literally every one as a quick fix.
Most recently, another invention named Kikomando has been made. Here a Chapati is sliced into small pieces and bean stew added to make a cheap but filling meal.
You can also try our spruced up rolex equivalents in some of the uptown restaurants, where the Rolex, is made with chicken, beef or vegetables that deliver a punch as well. Putting aside this world-famous delicacy, Let’s talk about Kalo!
Kalo
Kalo, whose fancy English name is millet bread is traditional food in Western Uganda eaten by the Banyankole, Bakiga, Batoro, Banyoro as well as some tribes in Northern Uganda and the Bagwere in Eatern Uganda. The Iteso call it Atap. The Kalo in western Uganda is served in a woven basket known as endiiro and is usually paired with beef, goat stew or bean stew. This dish was traditionally served with white sauce made from ghee (Eshabwe) for the Banyankole or mashed bean soup where the beans are devoid of their seed coats. I have had a privilege of eating this dish, and it will surprise you, if you can get past its dark brown appearance! This dish is best enjoyed using your hands! Yes hands, as opposed to using forks and spoons.
Aside from Kalo, another popular staple in the west is millet porridge popularly known as Bushera. Served hot and thickened to your personal preference, this is a breakfast staple in many households. A cold lighter version usually fermented for about 48 hours and is a drank throughout the day. It has a sweet and slightly tangy taste.
Fruits and Vegetables
Endowed with a good climate, Uganda enjoys 2 seasons every year. In every roadside market, you will be greeted with vibrant colors of a plentiful harvest of Mangoes, Guavas, Avocados, Pineapples, Oranges, Passion fruits, Collard greens/ Sukuma wiki, Doodo, Nakati, Tomatoes, Onions, Pawpaw’s, Water melon, Eggplant name it. All freshly plucked from the garden. The most delicious avocados and the sweetest tropical fruits are found in Uganda yet many Ugandans in the villages won’t bother buying them, as they will have most of these fruits and vegetables in their backyard.
Matooke
Matooke refers to steamed green bananas. This dish is very popular in Central Uganda in the Buganda region where the matooke is wrapped in banana leaves, steamed, mashed and slow cooked to a buttery yellow perfection. It is served with a variety of sauces, including beef, chicken, beans and peanut stew among others.
Fish
In Uganda, tilapia and Nile perch are certainly delicacies. Both are widely enjoyed in various forms. Tilapia, commonly found in Lake Victoria, is often grilled, fried, or cooked in stews, providing a mild taste that pairs well with local side dishes like matoke and posho. Nile perch, known for its firm texture and rich flavor, is frequently served as fillets, curries, or deep fried making it a favorite in both home cooking and restaurants.
Posho
Posho, is a staple food in Uganda made from maize flour (cornmeal) and water. It is typically cooked to a thick, dough-like consistency and served in conjunction with various dishes, including stews, vegetables, and meats. Posho is a key component of many Ugandan meals and is valued for its affordability and nutritional content. For a long time Posho was the main meal served in schools to very active minors and for workers requiring high energy outputs for long periods of time such as construction workers and prisoners. Posho in these instances was always served alongside bean stew as the most affordable and nutritious combination of carbohydrates and proteins. But now, most schools have diversified their menu to include other favorites like, Rice or matooke in some cases depending on affordability by the school. Posho’s simplicity and versatility makes it a beloved staple in Ugandan cuisine.
Muchomo
This is a popular Ugandan dish consisting of grilled meat, chicken or goat on skewers marinated and cooked over an open flame and often served hot in roadside stalls or during social gatherings. Muchomo is often served alongside Kachubari (Tomatoes and onion salad), grilled matooke, Roasted Gonja, Posho or any side of your choosing.
Roasted Maize
Smoked Maize has a very enticing aroma and distinct smoked flavor and is a favorite for many Ugandans when in season. Freshly plucked maize is roasted over open flames giving it that unique taste adored by many locals. It serves as a tasty and affordable snack on the go that is rich in nutrients and that will provide that much needed energy boost.
Malakwang
Malakwang is a bitter sweet traditional sauce of the Acholi/Luo tribes in Uganda made primarily from leaves of the jute plant and often cooked with peanut paste tomatoes and spices creating a great accompaniment to staple foods such as sweet potatoes, posho or boiled cassava. Although popular now in many restaurants serving northern Uganda cuisine, Malakwang like many other greens came to people’s attention as a last resort when there was scarcity of food. No wonder greens are not so popular among many Ugandans as they are associated with lack/poverty.
Mulokony
When I was younger, I was always baffled to see my father come back with 2 cow legs. My childhood brain couldn’t process, why of all the 300 Kg of a cow, he could only come back with the most bony part? I would always stare at them inquisitively wondering, was that all that was left? Of course not! Mulokony populary known as ‘kigere’ is more than just food, it is known to increase synovial fluids that lubricate the joints. That is why it is considered a favorite for men above 35 years of age. Mulokony soup consists largely of skin, tendons and cartilage which carry a lot of flavor and the bones have plenty of bone marrow which gives the soup a gelatin like consistency. Don’t wait for the doctor to send you home to eat a bowl of Mulokony soup every other day, why not give it a try today? The soup is normally enjoyed with potatoes or steamed cassava here in Uganda.
Groundnut Sauce
This is a popular dish enjoyed in many parts of Uganda. The ground nuts are usually roasted and ground to a smooth paste then warm water is added and the mixture cooked on low heat for hours. The sauce is typically mixed with ingredients like tomatoes and onions and other spices may be added to enhance its taste. The groundnut sauce is commonly served with staples such as posho, matooke, rice and sweet potatoes. This sauce is loved by children and adults alike for its rich and nutty flavor.
Malewa
Originally from eastern Uganda in the districts of Bududa, Sironko and Mbale at the foot of Mt Elgon, Malewa is smoked bamboo shoot which is dried for preservation and later cooked as sauce mixed with ground simsim or peanuts. Malewa forms a major part of ceremonies in the Bagisu culture and must be eaten during Mbalu (Male circumcision rituals) as well as Traditional weddings.
Cassava
This root tuber is a staple known for its versatility and resilience in various growing conditions. It is widely consumed around Uganda and is eaten in various forms: steamed, roasted, deep fried, and when cassava flour is mingled using boiling water, it forms a dish similar to posho that can be served with a variety of meat or vegetable sauces.
Cassava flour is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C and also contains calcium and potassium. Its flour can be used in any recipe where wheat is required but since cassava flour arbsorbs more moisture, the recipe will need to be adjusted. Cassava flour can be used to make bread, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pizza crusts, pasta, chapatis and my favorites, banana fritters locally known as Kabalagala.
Conclusion
As you must have noticed most Ugandans are happy eating heavy carbohydrates for example a typical Ugandan serving for lunch in a restaurant will include Matooke, Rice, Cassava Sweet Potatoes and Kalo. Yes. And that’s just for one person. Forget the paleo diet! Ugandan food is plentiful and as such must be enjoyed without restrictions.
