Traditional East African Dishes You Must Try

East African cuisine is a delightful blend of rich flavors, hearty ingredients, and diverse cultural influences, from the Indian Ocean coast to the Great Lakes region. Trying the local food is an essential part of the safari experience. Here are some of the most iconic and delicious traditional dishes you must try.

Staples and Sides

Ugali

Ugali is the cornerstone of East African cuisine.1 This dense, dough-like porridge is made from maize flour (cornmeal) cooked with water until it forms a firm consistency.2 It is a staple carbohydrate and is traditionally eaten with your hands, rolled into a small ball and used to scoop up stews, vegetables, and sauces.3

Chapati

Influenced by Indian cuisine, chapati is a soft, flaky flatbread made from wheat flour.4 Unlike its Indian counterpart, the East African chapati is often richer and denser, with layers created during the kneading process. It is a popular accompaniment to stews and a favorite street food or snack.5

Sukuma Wiki

Translating to “push the week” in Swahili, this is a beloved vegetable dish made from collard greens or kale.6 It is typically sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and spices until tender.7 It is a nutritious and common side dish, often served with ugali or rice.8

Kachumbari

A simple yet refreshing salad, kachumbari is a mix of finely chopped tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers, often seasoned with salt and lime juice.9 It is a perfect acidic counterpoint to rich, grilled meats and stews.10

Hearty Main Dishes

Nyama Choma

Considered Kenya’s unofficial national dish, Nyama Choma literally means “grilled meat” in Swahili.11 It typically features succulent goat meat slow-roasted over charcoal, though beef and chicken are also popular.12 This social dish is often enjoyed with friends and a side of ugali and kachumbari.13

Matoke

A staple in Uganda, matoke is a dish made from green cooking bananas.14 The bananas are peeled, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed until they become soft and yellow. They are then mashed and served with a rich sauce, such as peanut stew or a meat-based gravy.

Luwombo

This traditional dish from Uganda is a unique and aromatic stew. It is prepared by wrapping chicken, beef, or goat meat along with vegetables, groundnut paste, and spices in a banana leaf parcel.15 The parcel is then steamed to create a tender, flavorful, and deeply aromatic stew.

Pilau

This fragrant rice dish is a celebration of the coastal Swahili culture’s connection to the Indian Ocean trade routes. Rice is cooked with a medley of aromatic spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin, along with meat or chicken broth.16 The result is a flavorful, spiced one-pot meal often served on special occasions.

Snacks and Street Food

Rolex

A popular street food in Uganda, a “rolex” is a rolled chapati filled with a fried egg omelet made with onions, tomatoes, and cabbage.17 It is a delicious, filling, and affordable meal that is a must-try for any visitor.

Mandazi

Sometimes called “African doughnuts,” mandazi are fluffy, deep-fried bread squares.18 They are less sweet than a traditional doughnut and are often spiced with cardamom and coconut milk. They make for a perfect breakfast item, a quick snack with tea, or a light dessert.