Malakwang And Sweet Potatoes:This is an absolutely delicious Acholi, Luo, Ugandan dish. Sour and sweet usually go well together that's why malakwang and sweet potatoes are a perfect match! & taste so good. Malakwang was the very first Ugandan dish I learnt to cook in my youth and it came out perfect. Over the years, I have mastered the art of cooking it with excellent results every time. You too can learn to cook Malakwang to enjoy with your family and friends. As for Sweet potatoes, they are another Ugandan delicacy. When growing up, I used to plant them with my elder sister. They can be eaten with any sauce, or with peanut butter, sesame butter or a blend of both. We hope you enjoy this recipe!Tasty Mackerel Fish Stew:Before we came to the UK, the most popular fish we used to eat in Uganda, was tilapia because it was in abundance as we have the lake victoria right there to supply the Country with all sorts of fish.On relocating to the Uk, I carried on cooking tilapia but, the major problem I had was removing the bones for all the children as they were too young to do it themselves. I then went on to try out mackerel as the prices were quite reasonable.Mackerel truly saved my life! I realised that deboning it was so easy it doesn't have too many bones. Besides, the fish is full of meat. The whole family enjoy eating mackerel and it is cost effective.Gutting is a job that has to be done because you know, you will enjoy consuming it at the end. Therefore, embrace it.How To Boil Rice:In Acholi, there is a saying that goes, ("Dako Nywal Ki Wadi.") "A Woman Gives Birth To A Baby Through The Help Of Another Woman." Meaning, we all need each other and can help or teach each other how to do things, to achieve the desired goal. In my Acholiland, Uganda, we used to eat mainly, millet bread, sweet potatoes, maize meal or cassava with whatever sauces we had. Rice was eaten at big occasions such as Christmas. My elder sisters were the ones who used to cook it. However, when I came to the UK, those foods I mentioned above were not there or at least I didn't know where to buy them from. Rice was what we had to cook and eat. It was trial and era for long while until, one day, when I visited a friend who taught the basics of how to get it right; for which, I am forever grateful.How To Boil Plantain:As a family, we have always enjoyed eating fried plantain. However, in 2018, I decided to embark on a weight loss journey and cutting down on fat and sugar were on top of my list. Plantains have natural sugar which make them a better option to other artificially sweetened foods, with empty calories. Most of my family members embraced the idea of eating boiled plantain but others didn't so, they fried theirs. Am still to win them over. Sometimes I roast them in the oven or, still fry them whenever I feel like having fried ones.
Test for softness by pressing a bit of leaves against the wooden spoon
Drain off the water completely
Add fresh water
Add tomatoes and boil for 5 minutes
Add salt and mix well
Add peanut butter and mix until it turns into a nice sauce
Serve while still hot and eat with sweet potatoes
Can be eaten with millet bread, maize meal or boiled cassava
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
Peel the sweet potatoes and wash thoroughly well
Cut to desired sizes
Boil in a large saucepan for 20 to 25 minutes
Poke with a knife or skewer to test for softness
Serve with malakwang
Can be eaten with any sauce of your choice
Preparation For Fish Stew
Gut, wash the fish and cut them into 3 to 4 pieces each
Chop the onions
Wash the vegetables and set aside
Cooking The Fish
Heat up the oil in a saucepan
Fry the onions until golden brown
Crush the garlic, add and fry for a few seconds
Add curry powder and mix
Add the tomatoes and mix
Add paprika and black ground pepper and mix well
Cover the saucepan with the lid and leave it to cook for 10 minutes
Add the fish, mix and cook for 10 minutes
Add the vegetables, mix gently and cover
Leave it to cook for 10 minutes
Check and taste
Turn fire off and serve with either rice, sweet potatoes, or boiled plantain
Enjoy the feast
Boiling Rice
Wash and rinse out rice well in cold water till the water runs clear
Add 2 litres of water to the rice
Add salt and mix well
Bring to the boil, cover and allow it to cook for 15 minutes
Fork the rice, losenning it for even cooking and fluffiness
Cover for a further 5 minutes
Test for softness and serve
Preparation For Plantains
Wash the plantains thoroughly well with cold water
Cut each of them into four pieces, cutting off both ends first
Boiling The Plantains
Place the clean plantains in a large saucepan
Add hot boiling water to the pan
Boil on high heat for 15 minutes then simmer for 5 minutes
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes as it will be steaming hot and serve
Remove the skin and enjoy
Can be eaten with a stew, beans, spinach, peanut butter, binyewa, or any other saucy foods of your choice
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Keyword acholi food, african cuisine, boiled plantain, boiled rice, boiled sweet potatoes, carrots, fish casserol, fish stew, how to cook, malakwang, sweet potatoes with malakwang