Category: snacks

Minced Beef Jumbo Rolex

~ Sophie ~ 16 Comments

One word: Epic. Is what was in my mind while conceptualising this Rolex. I am already in celebratory mode because the Rolex Festival is a few days away. So I thought what not a better way than to make this epic rolex and then eat it all in one sitting because it is possible! I am so excited to see the many innovations that will come to fruition that day. If you can, I urge you to attend.

Imagine juicy ground beef, a healthy dose of vegetables and the right amount of egg and this epic rolex in born. It has a good balance of cooked and raw, sweet and salty with a hint of spice and did I mention the jumbo size? You should make this ASAP.

epic rolex collage 1

What you will need:
3 Large chapatis
500 gm. Minced beef
6 Eggs
A handful of steamed amaranth (dodo)
2 Small carrots
½ Avocado, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper
2 Large onions
½ Tsp. Ginger, grated
¼ C. Parsley, finely chopped
1 Large tomato, finely chopped

Black pepper
Salt
Oil for frying

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Method
1. Finely chop one onion, one carrot and half a green pepper and set aside. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a pan on high fire. Add the ginger and the onions. Let the onions become translucent then add the minced beef. Stir well and cover.
2. After 10 minutes, remove the cover and stir. Add tomatoes and stir. Let the meat cook till the tomatoes are tender. Add the green pepper, carrot, salt and black pepper and cover the pan. Keep stirring occasionally till the meat has cooked fully and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove beef from fire and set side.
3. Thinly slice the remaining onion and green pepper and set aside. Using a peeler or grater, shave the carrot and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk two eggs. Fry on medium heat till almost golden brown. Repeat the process until you have three large fried eggs.
5. To assemble the rolex, place one chapati on a plate or board. Place an egg on top. Add minced meat. Next add steamed amaranth, shaved carrot, green pepper, onion, and then avocado. Gently roll the chapati from one end to the other while pressing down to make sure it is firm.
6. Cut into half or into rolls and serve warm with a lemon wedge. Makes 3 large rolexes.

Easy to make and packed with savoury flavor. Let me stop here so you can go make yourself this epic rolex and eat it with a favourite drink or beverage. Also let me know how you prepare yours.

🙂

Sophie

 

How to Make Ugandan Banana Pancakes – Kabalagala Video

~ Sophie ~ 11 Comments

kabalagala-AKIU-7

Kabalagala has been the ultimate desert/snack for almost as long as I can remember. Thinking back, a lot of memories are attached to this delicacy right here. And since we have already dubbed the Rolex as the nation’s ultimate power street  food/snack, I though it only fair to give these sweet banana pancakes the spotlight too. Because lets be honest: Who does not love pancakes? They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, supper and as a snack too. And what not a better way to have them with a favourite drink/ beverage? Ultimate dessert it is!

As I promised on Instagram, it is time to let you know about some great things coming your way. First off, I plan on making more fun short videos. Check out the last two I posted on my YouTube channel and don’t forget to subscribe for more great content.

Secondly, I have received numerous emails on  whether I have a book in print. Having a book in print is hard work, I have found out lately. But this does not mean we should all give up. So I am working on a recipe calendar for 2017 that will be out in about 5-7 weeks from now. It will be filled with great recipes, photos and useful information. Also, it will be a great gift to give to friends, co-workers and loved ones especially since we are heading into the holiday months.  I am excited already. Aren’t you?

Now back to these pancakes.
Traditionally, pancakes are a mix of just plain cassava flour and ripe sweet bananas which yields a well textured  mildly sweet chewy pancake. I decided to add a little sugar because this sweet tooth I tell you! along side baking soda, it helps  create a soft sweet pancake. I could go on and on but the bottom line is these pancakes are worth a try. I have put together a small video to guide you. Watch it below and get frying.

KABALAGALA (UGANDAN PANCAKES)

Yield: 10-12 Pancakes

Ingredients Amounts

 

Ripe Sweet Bananas 2 Cups

Cassava Flour 4 Cups

Sugar 2 Tablespoons

Baking Soda 1/2 Teaspoon

Oil for frying 3 Cups

 

Method

  1. Peel the ripe bananas and place in a bowl. Mash them till almost smooth.
  2. Add sugar and baking soda and mix well.
  3. Add cassava flour to the mashed bananas gradually until a non sticky soft dough forms. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. 
  4. Place a clean plastic/cling film on a flat surface. Using hands, spread dough out to about a centimeter in thickness. 
  5. Using a round-shaped cookie-cutter/glass, cut out the pancakes. Repeat the process till all the dough is used up.
  6. Heat oil on medium heat. Fry pancakes until golden brown and fragrant.
  7. Serve warm.

 

Variation: You can substitute sweet bananas with regular ripe bananas.

Traditionally, kabalagala do not have sugar and baking soda. They are added to soften the texture of the pancakes. 

 

Note: Not all the 4 cups of flour will be used up.  As long as the dough is not sticking to your hands and the mixing bowl, it is perfect. Kabalagala can also be fried in red palm oil. 

🙂

Sophie

Char-grilled Garden Egg Fritters + 4 Years Blogging

~ Sophie ~ 6 Comments

Its a new month and this one has come with a birthday. It is incredible  what has happened over the course of four years! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would accomplish all these amazing things. It is stuff dreams are made of and sometimes frequently I pinch myself.  I am grateful that all the struggles, failures and hard work bring us to here, in this moment. I would not have it any other way.  I am also grateful for all the amazing people I have met along the way.  I do not know what the future holds but with all that has happened I cant help but be excited for the next four years. With that said, expect a huge surprise (that I am working on day and night) at the end of the month, a brand new feature and much more soon. You can follow me on Instagram for behind the scenes and some random awesome food inspiration.

Now for a celebratory dish, I thought it would be a fun and great idea to  for us to cook up something totally new and exciting. After all that is what AKIU is about. If you are not familiar with garden eggs (ntula), here is a link I found to help you out. They are common in central Uganda and are used to make soups and stews.

We have a roughly 2 by 4 meters garden (sorry I have no concept of space) full of garden eggs. The thing with growing a lot of the same food is that there comes a time when you run out of creative ways to cook it. Now that I have discovered this new twist on garden eggs, I feel like I should cook them all like this so they are easier to eat. This dish is great for garden egg lovers and a fun surprise for the haters.

What you will need:

16 Green garden eggs (ntula)

½ C. Flour

¼ C. Parsley, finely chopped

1 Large egg

½ C. Water

2 Tbsp. Mukene powder

1 Tsp. Ginger

½ Tsp. Cinnamon

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying

 

Observations:

  1. There are many varieties of garden eggs. I used the green bitter ones. If you do not like the bitter taste, use the white ones.
  2. To avoid cooking eggs that are damaged inside, look carefully for holes on the skin of eggs. Eggs without holes are not damaged.
  3. Char-grilling the garden eggs adds a smoky flavour.
  4. If you do not have mukene powder, use fish sauce.
  5. You can use any herb you have around. I had parsley so I used it.
  6. You may need more or less water depending on your desired consistency of the batter.
  7. If the eggs are overly charred, you can remove some of the charred pieces but leave the flesh.

Method

  1. Wash and half the garden eggs. Char-grill them on a charcoal stove. Remove from fire. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a separate bowl, add flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and mukene powder. Mix well. Next add the parsley, egg and water and mix till a think fine batter forms.
  3. Place a pan of oil on fire and wait for it to get hot
  4. Cut off the stalks and then dip the egg halves in batter.  Deep fry till they are golden brown.
  5. Serve as is or with your favourite soup, stew or dip.

If you try this recipe, share your creations with #AkitchenInUg

🙂

Sophie