Oluwombo

Oluwombo, sometimes known as luwombo, is a typical Ugandan cuisine. It is both a royal and a reasonably common dish, particularly around the holidays. It is reported to have been invented in 1887 by Kabaka Mwanga's personal chef, who governed the kingdom of Buganda at the end of the nineteenth century.

The recipe combines meat or chicken with vegetables like as potatoes and carrots, as well as ground nuts wrapped in banana leaves and cooked to perfection with just the proper amount of salt, oil, and spices. It is regarded a wonderful dish for a variety of reasons, including the manner it is presented like a gift wrapped in leaves. Smoked fish is added to the beef/chicken in some variants. People aged 35 and up prefer Luwombo to fast food, which is reserved for the young, but what is the advantage of this steamed cuisine on a banana leaf?

The dish is simply cooked with banana leaf sheathing and the steaming generates a delightful aroma that is exclusive to just luwombo. People, especially the alcoholics who fear the effects of too much alcohol, run to the luwombo dishes to get the full nutrients, which they hope counteracts the alcohol action on their internal organs and cures the nostalgic feeling.

Ingredients

• 14 banana leaves, 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 ½ liters (6 ¼ cups) water, ½ chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 carrot, grated, 1 tomato, grated, 1 clove garlic, 1 piece ginger, ½ teaspoon Royco seasoning (available on Amazon),½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Brown the meat in an oiled frying pan, do this in batches so as not to crown the pan, then remove and set aside.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the same pan then add the onion slices and saute for 10 to 15 minutes to lightly caramelize them, then add the mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes. Next add the tomatoes, chicken stock cube, salt, pepper, peanuts and the (optional) smoked fish. If necessary add a little water to form a smooth sauce. Cook to heat through and thicken up just a bit.
• Plunge the banana leaves in boiling water to soften them, remove the mid-rib and cut the ends off the leaves to form rectangles. If you buy packed banana leaves, most brands (like Goya) have already removed the mid rib for you. Place a portion of meat and some of the tomato-onion sauce (and smoked meat or fish, if desired) in the center of a leaf. Then add two or three chunks of peeled plantain.
• Fold the leaf from the sides then wrap from the ends to make at least a double layer. Tie into a package with oven-proof string then repeat until all the mixture is used up.
• Place a wire rack or trivet in the bottom of a large casserole dish then add water to the bottom of the trivet. Place the meat packages on top of the trivet and cover the dish. Bring to a boil and steam the packets for an hour.
• Remove the packets from the pot and serve.