It has come to my attention that some people are of the mind that there is no food in Africa. I'm proud to say that is not the case. Although, to the credit of the unknowing “some people” I mentioned just moments ago, most of the food is actually Indian, or influenced by Indian cuisine.
Which brings me to the first food I'll be rambling about – Chapati! What can I say about chapati that hasn't already been said. It's great. It is THE staple in any Ugandan diet. It is a sort of fried bread-like pocketless pita. To put it another way, it is like the shell of a chalupa at taco bell (everyone with me so far?) It can be a snack as well as a meal, and you can find it just about anywhere. It cost around 200shillings or so, which is less than ten cents (US).
You can also get Chapati with a fried egg on it. Usually there are diced onions, tomatoes, and cabbage mixed in. This creation is called Rolex. I enjoy having them for breakfast, except I add fresh sliced avocado to the mix as well as some chili sauce. I haven't named my incarnation yet, but I'm thinking of pitching it to the local chapati guy – could be a hit.
One of my personal favorite foods I've found so far is the Samosa. A samosa consists of cow-peas, and seasoning wrapped in a flaky dough and then fried (everything is fried if you haven't noticed). They are always shaped like oversized paper footballs... I've spent many a night wondering why. I'm sure you're as concerned as I am about this, and as soon as I find you why they have the shape they do you can bet that I'll fill you in, however, I'm inclined to believe it is just one of life's little mysteries, which she will take with her, to her grave (curse her back heart!!!). They sometimes come with beef or goats meat, but the woman I like to get them from only does the vegetarian type. (I have it on good authority that hers are the best in the city) If her samosas were not reason enough to buy from her than the chili sauce could be. It is amazing on the samosas. It is spicy, and salty, and flavorful. Joe and I are considering having her make us a huge cup of the stuff for a few extra bucks.
The woman I've been going on about sells her samosas from the barred window of what I assume is her home. If you walk by and her blue kitchen shutters are open then you know she is open, and there will be samosas and chili aplenty. Just walk up to the window and yell inside what you want and it comes out the bars wrapped in an old newspaper. They cost 200shs apiece (same as the chapati). The same woman also takes dried mango peels and soaks them in oil and spices over night. I don't know what that is called, but on first taste I was shocked because I was expecting them to be sweet but instead try to imagine a mango pickle – that's what they tasted like... yeah, well... I suppose they can't all be winners.
In addition to the chapati guys there are venders who sell sausage on a stick (it's good but nothing special) as well as seasoned beef/goat – also on a stick – and I can't remember for the life of me what it's called.
Sometimes, I'll see a guy selling fried grasshoppers. I've gotten them, and they are pretty good. The trick is to not look at them while you're eating them. Just eat them. Think of pumpkin seeds except you don't have to bother to spit out the shells – perfect, right?
(***Keren's note: Don't believe what anyone tells you - they're disgusting.)
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