Kampala – Page 5 – A Kitchen In Uganda

I have found out that there are a million and one ways to make maize(corn). We have maize growing in the backyard and boiled maize has been on the menu a lot these days(A LOT!) that I realized I haven’t shared a recipe here. This is my father’s signature recipe (among many others). It is a special one really because it only happens when ever there is an abundance of fresh maize! The fresh kernels have a slight sweetness to them and when they are sautéed in oil and other spices, the flavor intensifies while at the same time leaving the maize soft. It even has a natural meaty taste. Seriously! The next time you find yourself with more than enough fresh maize, try this.

What you will need

10 Fresh ears of maize/ 3 C. Maize kernels

2 Tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Green pepper, finely diced

2 Carrots, finely diced

1 Large onion, finely diced

A handful of green onions, finely chopped

2 Cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped

Ginger, crushed and chopped

Cooking oil

Salt to taste

Black pepper (optional)

Method
Using a sharp Knife, cut the kernels off the cob and set aside. On medium fire, Add oil and wait for it to get hot. Add the Garlic, ginger and onions. Let them brown a little. Add salt and tomatoes. Let the tomatoes soften. Add the maize kernels and stir. Add the green peppers and carrots and stir well. Keep stirring. Add the black pepper and keep stirring. Once all the kernels are translucent, and a savory flavor is wafting in the air, remove from fire. This might take 20-30 minutes. Add the chopped green onions and serve hot.

Observations

The size of maize and kernels vary. On some ingredients, I did not put any specific measurements because everyone has personal preferences.

I hope you get to try this.

🙂

Sophie

As a child, samosas were a special treat. Something we did not have occasionally. It was back when we still bought good samosas filled with flaky rice for mere 100 shillings. When we would save all the 50 shilling coins we could find (because back then they could still buy something) so that we could splurge on an assortment of samosas. Even samosa vendors were hard to come by. They could not sell samosas anyhow because it took great care and patience to make a mouth-watering filling and a crunchy phyllo-like shell. Samosas still are a treat these days because they require an amount of time and effort to make. I realized this when I made my first batch. Although they require a lot of preparation time, the process is simple and the after product is unbeatable. Biting into the flaky shell that melts in your mouth and a filling that bursts with different flavors and textures is worth it.

With my friends at Paramount Dairies, I bring you this classic pea samosa or ‘sumbusa’ if you may, but with cheese! This time I am using the Gouda cheese which has a sharp and strong flavor that takes the samosas to whole new level. Everything gets better with cheese.

What you will need:

Pastry

2 C. Baking flour

8 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine

1/2 C. Water

Oil for frying

Filling

2 C. Peas, boiled

Paramount Gouda Cheese, cut into sticks

1 Large carrot, finely chopped

2 Green papers, finely chopped

2 Large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Medium onions, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tsp. of finely chopped ginger

Salt

Observations:

In this recipe, I used dry peas. If you are using dry peas, Soak them overnight and then boil then for 1 hour or until they are soft to the touch.
If you are working alone, I recommend cutting all the vegetables ahead. This will help ease the load.

Method

Pastry

In a dish, combine flour with butter/margarine. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes crumbly. Next, add water. A tablespoon at a time while mixing until you form a firm dough. Divide the dough into six equal balls. Roll each ball into a circle (or something close to it) making sure it is as thin as possible but not nearly breaking. Cut the circles into equal halves. Fold all the halves into cones. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pressing together, leaving an opening for the filling.

Filling

On medium heat, add a sauce pan. Add two tablespoons of oil and wait for it to become hot. Next, add the ginger and garlic and wait for it to brown a little. Once browned, add the onions and stir. Add the tomatoes and cover pan for close to two minutes. Check if the tomatoes are softened. If they are, add the green paper and carrots. Stir. Add the Peas and Stir. Cover the pan for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir while adding salt. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes dry (without any liquids left). Remove from fire.

Assembling

Hold Open the Samosa cone and insert a stick of cheese then add a tablespoon of filling. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pinch closed. Do this for all the samosa cones.

Over high heat, put a pan with oil for frying. Wait for it to become hot (this may take five minutes or more). Fry the samosas until they turn golden brown. Serve warm