n i n e h c t i K A a d n a g U 16 Ugandan dishes to make
akitcheninuganda.com
16 Ugandan dishes to try Hi there! It puts a huge smile on my face to know that you have this little e-book with you. There is so much that our nation has to offer when it comes to fresh local produce. These recipes are an introduction to Ugandan food and can easily be made. I am just scratching the surface because there is so much more food you will get to know along the way. Most of the dishes are hearty classics that we swear by and I know you will enjoy. I hope that this little addition to your kitchen will inspire you to go out and discover the endless possibilities that come with Ugandan produce and cooking. Don’t forget to visit the blog: akitcheninuganda.com for more food stories, inspiration and recipes. Cheers, Sophia Musoki
beverages
Maize porridge
What you will need: 1 C. Maize flour 4 C. Water Sugar A pinch of salt Method 1. Place pan on high heat and add the water. Let it boil. 2. While waiting for the water to boil, mix the maize flour with about two cups of water until a thick and smooth runny batter is formed. 3. After the water starts boiling, add the maize batter into the water and stir continuously for about 5 minutes. At this point the porridge will thicken and you may add more water till you achieve your desired consistency. 4. Add the salt and sugar and stir well. 5. Reduce the fire and let the porridge simmer for 20-30 minutes. 6. Remove from fire. Serve with your favourite accompaniment.
lemongrass infused passion fuit juice
What you’ll need: 10 ripe passion fruits 10 blades of lemongrass Water (preferably cold) Sugar Method 1. Cut the fruits in half and using a spoon, scoop the fruit contents in a fairly hollow bowl. 2. Wash the lemongrass and add it to the bowl too. 3. Add three table spoons of sugar and using your hand (make sure it’s clean), mix and squeeze everything. In about five minutes, the passion seeds will be completely black. 4. Remove the lemongrass and using a strainer, separate the juice from the seeds. 5. Add more cold water and sugar. 6. Chill and then serve. Makes two pitchers.
matooke (Green Banana) Porridge
What you will need: 3 Green bananas, peeled and washed 1 C. Water 1/2 C. Milk 2Tbsp. Honey A drop of vanilla essence A pitch of salt Method 1. Place bananas in a clean pan, add water and put on fire. Sprinkle in the salt. Let the bananas boil till soft, tender and falling apart. This will take about 15 minutes. Remove bananas from fire and mash immediately while they are still very hot and soft. 2. Mash the bananas till there are almost no lumps left. 3. Add the milk and stir well to combine. 4. Put back on fire and let the porridge simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the honey and vanilla and keep stirring. 5. Remove from fire. 6. Using a wire mesh sieve, the pride to remove any remaining lumps (this is optional if you want smooth porridge. If you prefer it chunky, don’t sieve). 7. Serve hot with your favorite toppings. Here I used simsim, gnuts, pumpkin seeds, some chocolate and drizzled with honey.
MUJAJA TEA
What you will need: Mujaja Leaves Water Sugar Method 1. In a clean sauce pan, add water, mujaja leave and sugar and bring to a boil. 2. Remove from fire once the leaves start releasing a fragrant aroma and the color of the water has changed 3. Strain the leaves from the tea. 4. Serve hot
MAINS
KATOGO
What you will need: Onions, chopped Garlic cloves, finely chopped Tomatoes, chopped Yams, halved Sweet potatoes, halved Irish potatoes, halved Beans, boiled Green onion(as garnish), finely chopped Cooking oil Chilli oil, a few drops Curry powder Salt Method 1. On high fire, add cooking oil to the a sauce pan and let it get hot. Add the garlic and onions and wait for them to become translucent. Add the tomatoes, chilli oil, curry powder and salt and stir. 2. Add the Irish potatoes first, then the yams and then the sweet potatoes. Top with the beans and cover pan for about 10 minutes. 3. Add half a glass of water (to make a soupy katogo, add more water) and stir so that the beans are evenly distributed. Let the Katogo cook till the Irish potatoes are soft and tender. 4. Remove from fire and serve warm.
SAUTÉED mukene
What you will need: 3 C. Dried Mukene 5 Large ripe tomatoes 2 Small onions 1 Tbsp. Oil Salt and pepper to taste Spring onions for garnishing Method 1. Soak the dried mukene in water for about 20 minutes. 2. Cut the tomatoes and anions and set aside. 3. Drain the mukene and wash thoroughly. On Add a little bit of and bodyadd text oil. high fire, place a saucepan 4. Once the oil is heated through, add the mukene. Let the mukene cook till crisp. Keep stirring. 5. Once the mukene is crispy and has browned (but not burnt), add the onions and tomatoes. 6. Mix well and cover the pan. Add salt and pepper and stir occasionally. 7. Once the tomatoes have softened and mixed well with the mukene, remove from fire. 8. Garnish with thinly sliced spring onions and serve.
SAUTÉED GARLIC DODO (AMARANTH)
What you will need: Four Handfuls of dodo (because it is quite hard to measure), washed and drained 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped) 1 Tbsp. cooking oil Salt Method: 1. Place a pan on high heat. Add oil and let it get hot. Add the garlic and stir vigorously to prevent it from burning. 2. Once it starts and releasing an Add a browning little bit of body text aroma, add the dodo and stir continuously. 3. Keep stirring till the dodo turns a bright green and is fully coated with the oil and the garlic is evenly distributed. 4. Remove from fire and let the dodo cool a little. 5. Serve warm.
MPUTA (NILE PERCH) STEW
What you will need: 5 Pieces of deep-fried Nile perch 4 Spoonfuls of groundnut paste 2 Large Eggplants, diced 2 Carrots, diced 4 Medium tomatoes, diced 2 Medium green peppers, diced 2 Medium Onions, diced 2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped A handful of green onions for garnish ½ Tsp. Oil Salt Chilli oil (optional) Black pepper Method 1. Place a saucepan on the stove on high heat. Add the oil and the garlic. Let the garlic brown a little. 2. Add the onions, tomatoes and salt and then add the fish pieces. Add the green pepper, the eggplants the carrots and the chilli oil. 3. Stir till the vegetables wilt a little. 4. In a bowl, add the groundnut paste and a little water and using a wooden spoon, mash it till a thick but runny paste is formed. Pour the paste in the saucepan with the fish. Stir well. 5. Add about 2-3 cups of water and let the stew boil. After it has boiled, add the black pepper, stir and let it simmer for around 20-30 minutes. 6. Remove from fire. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.
RED AMARANTH STEW
What you will need: 4 handfuls of red amaranth 1 cup diced carrots 1 Tbsp. Groundnut paste 1 green paper, diced 1 large tomato, diced 1 large onion, diced 1 Garlic clove, crushed 1Tsp. Ginger, grated 1Tbsp. Palm oil Salt and pepper to taste Method: 1. Place pan on high heat. Add oil and let it melt. Add garlic and onions and let them cook till translusent. Add the tomatoes and let them cook till soft and tender. 2. Next add the amaranth. Stir well. 3. Toss in the carrots, green pepper, salt and pepper and cover pan. 4. In a bowl, dissolve the groundnut paste till runny. Add the paste in the cooking stew while stirring. Add water or stock (if you have some available). 5. Cover pan and let the stew boil for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the fire and let the stew simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the water has reduced to half. 6. Remove from fire. Serve hoT..
OFFAL STEW
What you will need: I kilo, assorted offals, cut into bite-sized pieces 3 large tomatoes, diced 1 large green pepper, diced 1 large carrot, diced 1 large onion, diced 1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped Juice of 1 lemon/ white vinegar Black pepper 1Tsp. Ground coriander 1Tsp. Turmeric powder Salt Method. 1. Thoroughly wash your offals to remove all the dirt and sand. 2. Once washed, place the offals in a pan. Add salt, vinegar, and water. Place the sauce pan on high fire and let the meat boil. This can take from 1-2 hours. 3. Keep checking the water level and add more once it reduces so that the meat doesn’t burn. 4. Once the meat has boiled till tender (you can always taste, the best part of making this stew by the way!), and all the water has dried, the offals will start frying in their fat that remains at the bottom. Fry the offal till they start getting slightly golden brown 5. Add the crushed garlic, and onions and keep stirring. Next add the rest of the ingredients. Add water and let the stew simmer on low fire for another 30-45 minutes. Keep stirring.
SOMBE (CASSAVA LEAVES)
How to Make Sombe 1. First off you need to locate a cassava garden or farm and then ask the owners to pluck some leaves off their plants. The key here is to get the top tender leaves with stalks that snap when you break them. Depending on the size and lushness of the plant get just enough but do not destroy the whole plant. That is pluck twice or thrice from one plant then move onto another. 2. Once you have plucked a bunch you think is enough to make soup, remove the leaves one by one from their stalks and put in a mortar. 3. Pound the cassava leaves. If you do not have a mortar, you can use a blender. It works well too. 4. Place the pounded cassava leaves in a large pan (because you will be adding a lot more ingredients so you need enough space for them.) with enough water and salt. Put on fire. 5. A good friend once told me that the secret to great sombe is garlic, onions and lots of green pepper. You will need a lot of green pepper, garlic (about 4 cloves or depending on the amount of sombe you are making.) tomatoes onions. 6. You can choose to grate the green pepper or finely dice it. I like to do the latter. Crush the garlic and then finely chop it. Chop the onions and tomatoes. 7. While the sombe is boiling, add the vegetables one by one. There is no specific order as along as all the vegetables are added in. 8. Now because sombe is not sombe without palm oil, you will need a generous amount of it. For this sombe, we put close to 1 ½ cups of palm oil. If you do not want it to be oily, you can reduce on the palm oil. All the while the sombe should be boiling. It should take 2 ½ hours or more to cook. 9. Keep stirring to incorporate the flavours. Once all the vegetables are tender, let the sombe simmer for 30+ minutes or until the water has reduced and the palm oil has turned a dark-ish color. 10. Remove from fire and allow to cool. Serve.
BEEF STEW
What you will need: 1 ½ Kg. Beef steak, cubed 2 Large purple onions, diced 1 Tsp. Grated ginger 1 Large green pepper, diced 5 Large tomatoes, diced 2 Carrots, thinly sliced 2 C. Irish Potato wedges For the marinade: 1/4 C. soda 1/4 C. Oil 3 Tbsp. Salt 1 Tbsp. Curry powder Juice of ½ orange ½ Tsp. Cinnamon Method 1. Place beef in a bowl. Add soda, oil, salt, curry powder, ginger, orange juice and cinnamon and mix well. Keep refrigerated for 6-8 hours or overnight. 2. On high fire, place pan. Add the marinated beef and cover pan. Let the beef cook. At first it will release juices. You do not need to add any water or stock. It will cook in its juices until they dry out and the oils remain while releasing a wonderful aroma. 3. Let the beef fry in the oils until crispy. 4. Add the onions and green pepper and let them cook along with the meat. 5. Add tomatoes and keep stirring. Once the tomatoes are soft and tender, add the carrots, potato wedges, and 2-4 cups of water (or stock). Cover pan. Let the stew simmer till the soup has reduced to half. By this time the meat will be cooked through and tender. 6. Remove from fire and serve hot
TERMITE MUSHROOM SOUP
What you will need: 4 C. Termite mushrooms 1 C. Large carrot, grated 3 Large Tomatoes, diced 1 Large green pepper, diced Vegetable stock 1 large onion, diced 1 Garlic clove, crushed and chopped 1 Tsp. Ginger, grated 1 Tbsp. Curry powder Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon oil Method: 1. Wash mushrooms thoroughly but carefully. Drain mushrooms and set aside. 2. Place saucepan on high heat and add oil. Add garlic and ginger in oil and let the release a fragrant aroma. 3. Add onions and tomatoes and saute till the onions are translucent and the tomatoes are soft and tender. 4. Add the mushrooms, green pepper carrots and the curry powder. Cover pan and let the mushrooms cook for about 5 minutes. Add vegetable stock (or any stock you have really!) and let the mushrooms simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper 5. Remove from fire. Serve
snacks
kabalagala (Ugandan pancakes)
What you will need: 2 Cups ripe sweet banana 3-4 C. Cassava flour, sifted 2 Tbsp. Sugar ½ Tsp. Baking soda Method 1. In a bowl, mash bananas. Add sugar and mix well. 2. Next add baking soda and a handful of flour. Mix. 3. Gradually add flour while mixing till firm dough is formed and is not sticking to your hands and bowl. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. 4. Place a clean plastic/cling film on a flat surface. Divide dough into two equal parts. Spread out dough with your hands. 5. Using a glass or cookie cutter, cut out the dough. Repeat the process till all dough is used up. 6. Heat oil on high heat. Fry the pancakes until golden brown. 7. Serve warm. Find the youtube video here
toasted pumpkin seeds
Want you will need: Dried pumpkin seeds About a tablespoon of water Salt Paprika Black pepper
Method 1. Add all the ingredients in a heavy cast pan and mix till all the seeds are well coated. 2. On medium heat, keep stirring the seeds till they are completely dry, have browned and are starting to pop. It will take around 20 minutes. 3. Remove from fire and continue stirring till the seeds are fully cool and crunchy. Serve.
MANDAZI
What you will need: 2 C. Baking flour 4 Tbsp. Sugar 1 C. Water (cold) 2 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine 1 Tbsp. Baking powder 1 Tbsp. Ground cinnamon 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract A pinch of salt Powdered sugar (optional)
Method 1. In a clean bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Add salt, cinnamon and sugar and mix well. 2. Rub in the butter till the flour becomes coarse. 3. Mix the vanilla in water and add water and mix till a firm dough forms and is no longer sticking to your hands. 4. Set aside to rest for ten minutes. 5. After ten minutes, flour your surface and roll out the dough to about 1 ½ -2 inch thickness. 6. Cut out rectangular shapes from the dough. 7. Place a pan of frying oil on medium to high heat. Let the oil heat through. 8. Fry the rectangular shaped dough ie the mandazi until rised and golden brown. Makes 10+ 9. Dust the mandazi with powdered sugar. Serve
Hope you enjoyed this selection as much as I enjoyed putting it together. For more fun and exciting dishes and recipes, visit my blog akitcheniuganda.com Whenever you make something from this book or the blog, dont forget to tag me on instagram @akitcheninuganda so I can share with other fellow foodies Also make sure to follow this blog on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest posts and more behind the scenes
the end
I am Sophie, a twenty-something, behind the blog and I live in the beautiful Pearl of Africa. I have always been fascinated by the art of cooking from a really young age and been influenced by a great number of people and cultures. When I am not in the kitchen or photographing my food, you can find me daydreaming of what to cook next. Being in the kitchen keeps me sane. I believe in the power food has to bring people of all walks together. I make all the food and with the help of my family, shoot for and manage the blog A Kitchen in Uganda.
snacks
16 Ugandan Dishes to Make