12 Traditional Food In Uganda

1. Nakati

Nakati is a highly popular vegetable known for growing abundantly and can even be found grown in gardens and yards. In recent years, its abundance also ensured its affordability, and has since made the food a mealtime staple in Uganda’s homes and restaurants.

Its salty-bitter taste tends to catch first-time tasters by surprise, but the flavor lends to versatility as it can be used as an ingredient in stews, as a side dish, or even as a meal on its own. It can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways, such as raw as a salad, or steamed or fried as a bitter snack.

2. Malakwang

Need to up the health factor in your diet? Try some of this leafy green medicinal plant which is a mainstay for northern Ugandan meals. Hibiscus sabdariffa, locally called malakwang, is a nutritious vegetable can be prepared in a wide variety of ways. Young leaves are used for salads, while older stock are dried and pounded into sauce. The leftover pulp also doesn’t go to waste, as it is used as feed for livestock or pets.

The plant can also be used to help treat sickness such as kidney and liver problems, cough and colds, and even constipation. Malakwang is also a highly important source of iron and vitamins for HIV and AIDS patients.

3. Matooke/matoke (mashed green bananas)

Matooke, also spelled as matoke, is Uganda’s answer to mashed potato and it is considered by locals as Uganda’s unofficial national dish. It is made from East African Highland bananas that are cooked while still green and unripe, and then mashed or pounded. While it is white while uncooked, it turns yellow and softens when it’s done cooking. It may or may not be served with some sauce made from vegetables and/or peanuts or with a stew.

The East African Highland bananas can actually be eaten like any other banana once they’re ripe, but locals prefer and put more value on the ones they can cook into matooke.

4. Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers, known locally as nsenene, is considered a local delicacy. To prepare these, the cooks remove the wings and legs and then fry the insects with chili, onions, and/or some other spices. Oil isn’t added to the mix because the grasshoppers actually secrete their own. The final product is a salty, crunchy snack that tastes somewhat similar to fried chicken skin. Fried grasshoppers are commonly sold as street food; these are only available from April to June and November to December.

5. Katogo (melange)

Think of katogo as matooke that’s taken one step further. This dish features matooke (green bananas that have been cooked and mashed) that is cooked in a sauce made from tripe, beans, ground peanuts, onions, and/or tomatoes (the ingredients will differ depending on who is making the dish). The original version of this had cassava instead of bananas and it was considered as a poor man’s meal, although its popularity has allowed it to be accepted across the country. Katogo is often served during breakfast.

6. Luwombo

Luwombo is a dish that requires both cooking and assembly skills. It consists of meat immersed in a sauce nestled in a pouch made from banana leaves and steamed for hours. Although chicken is the meat that’s commonly used in preparing luwombo, other kinds of meat, such as beef and goat, can be used here as well. The sauce is peanut-based and may come with mushrooms and dried fish. Luwombo is usually served with matooke.

7. Groundnut sauce

Groundnut Sauce is known locally as binyebwa. As the name of the dish indicates, it is made from groundnuts, called G-nuts in Uganda. This savory sauce is prepared with tomatoes, onions, and salt, although other ingredients such as paprika may be added according to preference. Groundnut sauce is not served alone but is instead poured over matooke or as a side dish of ugali, dried fish, rice, cassava leaves, or spinach.

8. Posho/ugali

Posho, known as ugali in Kenya, is known as a porridge made from cornmeal, although porridge may not quite be the right word to use for it since it doesn’t have the watery consistency that is often associated with it but is rather stiffer and more solid. It is made from white maize, although some variants use other kinds of starches to make this. It is usually served with meat, fish, or vegetables.

9. Chaloko

Chaloko is a bean porridge or soup that is usually eaten with posho. Its ingredients are pinto beans, green peppers, tomatoes, and onions, along with some cooking oil. Modern takes on this dish add a variety of spices for flavor. It is similar to the bean porridge of Nigeria. Chaloko is considered by Ugandans as comfort food because it is rich and filling.

10. Muchomo (roasted meat)

While Uganda has a rich food culture, people from all over the world will always have a love for grilled meaty treats. Muchomo is Uganda’s take on barbecued meat. The meat - which can be chicken, beef, lamb, or goat - is roasted and sold by vendors as a roadside treat. The meat has a distinctive crunchy texture and is often served with a salad, fries, and/or bananas. Some restaurants in Uganda sell a pork variant of muchomo.

11. Mandazi

Mandazi is a delicacy not just in Uganda but in other African countries. Also known as puff-puff and bofrot in the other countries in the region, this dish has different variations, depending on who is preparing the food. The dough may include yeast, cornmeal, egg, and wheat and maybe flavored by coconut milk or even coconut flakes, cardamom, or ground nuts for added flavor and texture. The mixture is fried and served while warm, either alone or with a fruit-flavored dip.

12. Rolex (rolled eggs)

No, this kind of rolex won’t tell you the time, but it can fill your belly. Rolex is a street food snack that, at its very basic, consists of eggs wrapped in a chapati, a flatbread made from flour. The eggs are usually cooked into an omelet and mixed with other ingredients such as cabbages, tomatoes, and onions. This is often the food of choice of those who want to eat while on the go. Each rolex is usually priced less than 1 USD, so you can say that you actually got your hands on a rolex for that price while you were in Uganda.

Enjoy local flavors

Uganda’s cuisine has English, Asian, and Arab influences but stands out on its own merits. While you’re visiting the country’s national parks and other attractions, be sure to take the time to try out the local dishes instead of sticking to tried-and-tested food. You will be able to learn more about the tribes’ different cultures and way of life, besides getting the chance to sink your teeth into authentic Ugandan cuisines.