🍽️ Cuisine
In the Land of a Thousand Hills, Rwandan cuisine reflects the fertile volcanic soil and temperate highland climate that produces exceptional beans, bananas, and vegetables. Meals are communal and generous, centered around starches like ubugali (cassava porridge) served with protein-rich beans and leafy isombe. The country's world-renowned coffee, grown on mountain slopes, has sparked a café culture in Kigali. While simple by design, Rwandan cooking showcases ingredients at their purest—fresh, local, and prepared with care that speaks to the nation's spirit of community and resilience.
Isombe
Rwanda's beloved cassava leaf stew, slow-cooked with eggplant and peanut butter until the leaves become meltingly tender. The peanuts add richness while dried fish or meat provides savory depth. Every family has their own version of this staple dish.
Ingredients: 300g cassava leaves (fresh or frozen) or substitute spinach, 1 small eggplant (diced), 60g natural peanut butter, 1 onion (diced), 2 tomatoes (chopped), 50g dried fish or smoked fish (optional), 30ml palm oil or vegetable oil, 3ml salt, 500ml water.
Preparation: If using fresh cassava leaves, pound or blend them to break down the fibers. Frozen leaves should be thawed and chopped finely. Boil the leaves in salted water for 30 minutes to remove bitterness. Drain well. Heat oil in a heavy pot. Sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and eggplant. Cook for 10 minutes until eggplant softens. Add the drained cassava leaves, water, and dried fish if using. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in peanut butter until fully incorporated. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes until the stew thickens and flavors meld. Adjust salt and serve with ubugali (cassava porridge) or rice.
💡 If cassava leaves are unavailable, collard greens or spinach work as substitutes, though the cooking time will be shorter—about 15 minutes total.
Ubugali
The starchy foundation of Rwandan meals—a thick, stretchy porridge made from cassava flour. Ubugali is rolled into balls and used to scoop up stews and sauces. Its neutral flavor is the perfect vehicle for bold, flavorful accompaniments.
Ingredients: 150g cassava flour (or combination of cassava and corn flour), 400ml water, 3ml salt.
Preparation: Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Reduce heat to medium. Gradually add cassava flour while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring vigorously as the mixture thickens. It will become very stiff and pull away from the sides of the pot. Keep stirring and pressing for 5-7 minutes until the ubugali is smooth, with no lumps, and has a stretchy, dough-like consistency. Wet a wooden spoon and shape the ubugali into a smooth mound in the pot, or turn it out onto a plate. Traditionally, pinch off small pieces with your fingers, roll into balls, and use to scoop up stews and vegetables.
💡 The key is constant, vigorous stirring from start to finish. A flat wooden paddle works better than a regular spoon for preventing lumps.
Mizuzu
Golden fried plantain rounds, crispy outside and sweet-soft within. Mizuzu are served as a snack, side dish, or even dessert throughout Rwanda. The natural sugars in ripe plantains caramelize beautifully when fried, creating an addictive treat.
Ingredients: 2 ripe plantains (yellow with black spots), Oil for frying, Pinch of salt, Cinnamon sugar (optional, for sweet version).
Preparation: Peel the plantains. Cut diagonally into oval slices about 1cm thick. Heat oil in a frying pan to about 170°C—oil should be about 1cm deep. Fry plantain slices in batches, without crowding, for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still hot. For a sweet version, toss with cinnamon sugar instead. Serve warm as a snack or side dish with beans and stew.
💡 Choose plantains that are ripe but not mushy—they should give slightly when pressed but still hold their shape when sliced.
