Ask Amos Wekesa what to eat in Uganda and he starts with lunch. Luwombo, matoke with groundnuts and the bamboo shoots he grew up eating all make his list. They give you three very different things to look for, depending on where you’re travelling.
Luwombo, cooked in banana leaves
Luwombo is a dish cooked in a parcel of banana leaves. Amos mentions chicken, fish, goat and beef among the versions you might find. Ask what’s available that day, especially if you’re ordering lunch later in the afternoon. If it’s your first time trying it, make a point of opening the parcel at the table so you catch the aroma as the leaves unfold.
Matoke and groundnut sauce
Matoke is made with green cooking bananas and often served steamed and mashed. It’s closer in role to a helping of potatoes than to a dessert. Amos likes it with groundnut sauce, a combination he associates with central Uganda. In Kampala, ask what comes with the matoke. It can be one element of a larger plate alongside vegetables, stew or another starch.
Malewa from the Mount Elgon region
Malewa is made from bamboo shoots and is associated with eastern Uganda, where Amos grew up. He describes eating the shoots in a stew, sometimes with meat. If you’re travelling towards Mount Elgon, ask a local cook or guide where to try it. It’s the dish on this list I’d make a point of asking about before sitting down, because availability depends on where you are and what’s on the menu.
Leave room for the pineapple
Amos is particularly emphatic about Ugandan pineapple. Buy a piece when you stop along the road or ask what fruit is in season at breakfast. A meal can be as memorable for the thing you weren’t looking for as for the dish you set out to try.