A Taste of Africa – Kikomando

Ugandan cuisine has a variety of influences including Arabian, Asian and Indian. Many different tribes in Uganda have their own unique flavours and dishes. Meals in Uganda often consist of starchy foods and ingredients such as beans, rice, matoke, posho and groundnuts. For those with a sweet tooth there is a huge variety of fresh fruit in Ugandan due to the favourable soil conditions such as jack fruit, bananas, mangos and pineapples.

Recipe 5 – Chapati Street Food with Beans – yum!

Kikomando

Laura sent us another great recipe from Uganda using chapati’s we previously made here you will need two chapati’s per portion for this meal. We recently found some great pictures of our friend Sue making chapati’s in Ethiopia!

Preparation: 50 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Chapati:

• 3 cups of plain flour
• 5 teaspoons of salt
• 1 cup of water
• Oil

Beans:

• 500g dried kidney beans
• 2-3 large tomatoes finely diced
• 2-3 carrots finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper finely sliced
• 1 green bell pepper finely sliced
• 1 red onion finely diced
• Salt
• Cooking oil
• Spices optional – chilli, garlic, cumin

Method:

1. Add the flour and salt into a bowl
2. Add the water a little at a time to make a dough (you don’t always need to use a full cup)
3. Knead the dough – it shouldn’t be sticky or too soft (add a little flour if it feels too soft)
4. Take the dough and divide it into round balls smaller than a fist
5. Once all the dough is used up brush with oil and allow to sit for 20 minutes
6. After 20 minutes roll each of the dough balls into large pancakes not too thick – a quarter inch at most
7. On an oiled flat pan fry the chapati, turning frequently so it doesn’t burn
8. Remove from the heat and allow to sit
9. Wash the beans and place in a pan with fresh water covering them
10. Reduce to a simmer, add a few pinches of salt and cover with a lid to cook for about 60-90 minutes, or until the beans are tender.
11. Once they are ready drain the excess water into a separate container and keep for the sauce
12. Whilst the beans are cooking heat some oil in another pan
13. Add the carrot and onion and fry until they are soft
14. Add in the sliced peppers until soft
15. Add in the beans and stir until they are mixed well
16. Add the chopped tomato and any spices
17. Gradually add the water from the beans back into the pot and cook on a med/high temperature for 10 minutes stirring and the sauce will thicken
18. Cut up the chapati and cover with beans

The Kikomando is served in a clear plastic bag in Uganda.