Acholi cuisine

Writers say that Ugandan food has very little variety but this blog will not be complete without talking about what Acholi people eat.  Once I mentioned to a local that many Acholis are tall and stocky and she said that it is because of what they eat..... so I figure that those in the other regions of Uganda may have different food preparations.  But certainly, there had been no Chinese or Spanish influence yet in their local cooking.

The ubiquitous hand wash

No kaldereta or pinapaitan

In Gulu, eating places serve meat, chicken, goat meat, and fish - all cooked in the same way - fried.  Frying is done by mixing cooking oil with a lot of water and adding tomatoes and onions and sometimes potatoes. I'd not call it fried but stewed.   Pork is not common because butchers are halal observers.  The main dish is served with either steamed rice, or mashed corn (posho), millet (kalo), banana (matoke) or cassava.  For sauce, it is paste made of g-nuts (ground nuts or peanuts) or sim-sim (sesame seeds) or peas. Diners will also ask for a side dish which is either a dodo or boo (green leafy vegetables) or beans.  But the typical meal is really paste or beans over those carbs. The average meal costs under USD2.

Goat's meat, beans, rice

Some chicken dish

Popular light meals are somoza or mandaz (a triangular dumpling with meat or veggies), chipati (a bland pancake), rolex (chipati rolled with fillings such as avocado or some veggies - just like the fresh lumpia back home). Ugandans are not fond of sweets. The locals could not believe that I was sprinkling sugar on chipati. But Africans love sodas (mostly Coca-Cola products).  

Matoke and Kalo; their version of puto

An Acholi dining

Eating places would usually have a wash basin outside as it is still common to eat with bare hands especially when one orders posho or kalo. In one  eatery that I frequent,  a Filipino soap opera about a fish market vendor played by Christine Hermosa (she's a beauty) is regularly shown.   I understand that this soap is very popular among the locals so the owner plays it for the patrons.  A few Ugandans now know some Tagalog words picked up from the show such as maganda (beautiful), salamat (thank you).

Bottle opener said to have originated in England

Once  I get used to their food, I hope to acquire the attractive physical attributes that Acholi women are endowed with.  It is not too late, I guess.