Brief: recipe for chicken luwombo
Sheillah NanyongaChicken Luwombo is a traditional Ugandan dish that’s rich in flavor and often served for special occasions. It’s made by stewing chicken in a sauce that’s prepared with a blend of ingredients like onions, tomatoes, garlic, and various spices. The dish is uniquely prepared by wrapping the chicken and the sauce in banana leaves, which are then steamed to allow the flavors to infuse. The banana leaves add a subtle earthiness to the dish.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how to prepare Chicken Luwombo.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (cut into pieces).
2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 large onions (chopped).
3-4 tomatoes (chopped).
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced).
1 tablespoon of ginger (minced).
1-2 green peppers (optional).
2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Salt and pepper to taste
A few tablespoons of ground peanuts (optional, for richness)
1 cup of coconut milk (optional, for creaminess).
Fresh banana leaves (or foil if banana leaves are not available).
Instructions
Prep the chicken. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and any other spices you like.
Cook the base. In a large pan, heat oil and sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger until softened. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down.
Add the sauce. Stir in the tomato paste, green peppers (if using), and ground peanuts (if using). Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk at this point if you’d like a creamier texture.
Wrap the chicken. Take the seasoned chicken pieces and place them in the center of a banana leaf. Pour some of the sauce over the chicken. Fold the leaf over the chicken and secure it.
Steam the chicken. If you have a steamer, place the wrapped chicken in it and steam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Alternatively, you can steam the wrapped package over a pot of simmering water.
Serve. Once cooked, unwrap the banana leaf and serve the chicken with the delicious sauce, usually with rice or a starch like matoke (plantains) or posho (cornmeal).
The banana leaf wrapping is key to keeping the chicken moist and enhancing the flavors during the steaming process.