Feel the taste of Uganda local food dishes, here are the 10 most popular food in Uganda that every visitor should try while on tour. The Uganda cuisine are comprised of both traditional and modern cooking style of the freshly harvested food stuffs from local farms. Like any other country Uganda also has international dishes prepared in different restaurants and Safari lodges in Uganda national parks across the country. For example, Uganda has Chinese restaurants in Kampala that prepare Chinese dishes, Italian restaurants, American, Arab, Indian food restaurants in Kampala and in many other big towns around Uganda.
Uganda has a number of different cultures which have staple food and different meals prepared on certain occasions for example at wedding parties so one needs to try some of these Local Ugandan dishes to have a complete trip in Uganda. Below are just 10 most popular food in Uganda out of the many traditional local foods in Uganda that one should try while on a trip;
Katogo
Katogo directly translates to a mixture. So akatogo is one of the most popular Ugandan food prepared by mixing different food stuffs. Katogo is usually taken as breakfast and it’s enough to take you through the day. The Ugandan local foods cooked together are matooke, Irish potatoes, meat, offals, cassava and green vegetables. Katogo can be garnished with Avacado.
Luwombo
Luwombo is a special meal in Ganda culture of Buganda kingdom. It is well known to have been created by Kabaka’s (King of Buganda) personal chef in late 19th century. The food is made by wrapping meat, fish, chicken in banana leaves together with groundnut paste. It takes time to prepare but worth the taste. The dish can be served with steamed matooke and it is usually a special meal during traditional ceremonies in Buganda culture.
Matooke (steamed mashed bananas)
Matooke commonly known as plantain/ bananas is the most common food in Uganda commonly grown in most parts of the country. Matooke is prepared by steaming it in banana leaves smashing it and serving it soft, roasting it and eating it hard or prepared in Katogo as seen above. It can be served with all types of food sauce.
Posho (Kawunga)
Posho is prepared by mixing maize/ corn flour with boiling water and mingling it until it’s thick and evenly mixed. Posho is so good for people that do heavy work which needs enough energy as it contains carbohydrates. It can be served with beans sauce, meat stew, vegetable sauce, chicken stew and more. Posho can be steamed in banana leaves to add an aroma to it.
Rolex
Rolex is a local egg omelette made by wrapping or rolled in chapatti. The Rolex has other ingredients depending on the customer’s choice like raw eggs, cabbages, onions, green paper and more. It’s the cheapest and readily available food in every place in the country by the roadside. There is even a yearly rolex festival that showcases all types of rolex.
Muchomo
Muchomo literally means roasted meat on a stick and in Uganda you will have Muchomo sold right from the roadside and within the high-end restaurants. The roasted meat can be chicken, goat’s meat or beef muchomo. In good restaurants, muchomo is served with salads, fries or roasted matooke. This is so delicious and its also readily available in the evenings along the streets or even on some stop points while traveling upcountry.
Akaro/ Karo
Akaro is food prepared by mixing millet flour with boiling water until forms a thick even substance, some cultures mix the millet with cassava flour as this adds on the taste. In some cultures, its served in millet baskets like banyankole and its considered an important meal during traditional ceremonies.
Nsenene (Grasshoppers)
Nsenene meaning grasshoppers is a delicious meal that most Ugandans enjoy when fried. Grasshoppers are small insects that are seasonal and are usually available during the wet seasons in the months of May, June, October and November so visitors that visit Uganda in those days can enjoy this delicious snack. The nsenene are prepared by removing their legs and wings then frying them until golden brown. People add onions to add some flavour and aroma.
Chapati
Chapatis are made of wheat flour, salt, water that are mixed together to form a dough that is then rolled and fried using little oil. It can be served with all sauces like beans or meat. Chapatis can also be taken with tea as snacks.
Groundnut sauce (Gnut sauce)
Groundnuts are red peanut powder/ flour that are prepared by mixing them into water and cooking it to form a thick creamy sauce. G. nut sauce is served with steamed matooke, karo, sweet potatoes and any other local foods.
Uganda has many traditional dishes but the above are just a few that one must try when visiting this beautiful country. There are Some other Ugandan local foods with different names depending on the tribe or village visited such as malewa (bamboo shoots) of eastern Uganda, Kikomando (mixture of chapatti and beans sauce), Kikalayi (fried pork served on a big round tray with matooke), Eshabwe (whitish sauce made from milk) for Banyankole and more.
