Ugandan foods

Green matooke

Matooke after being peeled

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Matthew 20:26-28

I have lived here ten days and have learned so much about their customs and culture in Uganda.  Even though I know I am different in my looks and the color of my skin I am daily trying to understand this culture and trying to blend in.

I spent yesterday helping prepare food and asking many questions.  The Ugandan way of preparing food is much different than what I am accustomed.  One big difference is they do the cooking outside on a charcoal stove.  I feel we are so spoiled with our stoves and microwaves in the US and how quickly and efficiently we are able to cook our foods.  The meals generally are cooked with a starch and a vegetable sauce.  Matooke is like a green banana but when cooked it tastes more like a starchy potato.  To cook the starches (matooke, sweet potatoes, potatoes) they cut banana leave stems and put them at the bottom of the pot with a small amount of water.  Then they take the banana leaves and envelope the matooke or other starch, with them.  They do not want the matooke to soak up the water they put at the bottom of the pot.  They boil it for about an hour or until it is soft.  They also make white rice here but do not boil it in the water.  The rice is steamed over the charcoal fire.  My favorite so far is boiled pumpkin.

Their sauces consist of mainly tomatoes, onions, garlic and water with special spices sautéed in a saucepan. The sauces are very tasty.  Another type of sauce is a g-nut sauce which is prepared with crushed ground nuts, tomatoes and onions prepared the same way.  I like this type of sauce very much.

I'm looking forward to cooking more while I am here.  Maybe I will be able to cook a meal for my Ugandan friends when I feel ready.

We get the vegetables from vegetable stands in the village.  There are many vegetable stands to choose from but my friends know just the ones to buy from.  I am learning much and will be buying vegetables very soon.

I believe the best that I can offer as God's child in Uganda is myself.  Only when I put myself in a direct personal relationship with the people of God here in their hard places, will I be able to begin to understand their needs and accompany them in their journey of faith.  I am no longer a rich individual from another land stepping down to help the poor, but I am a sister in Christ stepping across to journey together with others in Uganda.  My new friends in Christ!