Luwombo (Oluwombo)
Overview
Luwombo is a Ugandan stew steamed in parcels of smoked banana leaves. Young leaves from the ndiizi banana are smoked over a fire until soft and fragrant, then lined in a bowl and filled with pieces of chicken, beef, fish or mushrooms, tomatoes, onion and a sauce of groundnut paste. The leaves are tied into a pouch and steamed for a long time over a pot of water, often on top of matooke, the green bananas that are mashed and served with it. When the parcel is opened at the table, the meat sits in a rich, soupy groundnut sauce scented with the smoked leaves.
History
Luwombo comes from the Kingdom of Buganda in central Uganda. According to tradition it was first prepared in 1887 by a cook at the court of the Kabaka, the king of Buganda, and for a long time it was a dish for kings and chiefs. Today it is a dish of celebration among the Baganda and other Ugandans, cooked for weddings, introductions, Christmas and Easter, and each guest is often given a parcel of their own.
Main ingredients
Chicken, groundnut paste, tomato, onion, smoked banana leaves, mushrooms. The soup is built on groundnut sauce and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Chicken soups · Tomato soups
Recipe
Method
- 1
Season the meat and mix it with the tomatoes, onion and mushrooms.
- 2
Loosen the groundnut paste with 300 ml warm water and season it.
- 3
Line bowls with the soft banana leaves, fill them with the meat and pour over the groundnut sauce.
- 41.5 h
Tie the leaves into tight parcels and steam them over boiling water for 1.5 hours.
- 5
Serve the parcels whole with matooke or rice.
- ✓
Serve. About 2h 10m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
