Ubugali

Ubugali is a stiff porridge of maize or cassava flour, cooked in water until it sets firm enough to hold its shape, and eaten by hand.

It is the starch at the centre of many Rwandan meals. Similar porridges are eaten across East and Central Africa under other names, such as ugali in Kenya and Tanzania.

What it really is

Flour is stirred into boiling water and cooked, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth, stiff paste. It can be made from maize flour or cassava flour, and its firmness depends on how much flour goes in and how long it is cooked. Ubugali has little flavour of its own. It is a neutral starch, and its job is to carry the taste of whatever is eaten with it.

How it's served

• Hot, shaped into a mound or rolled into balls on the plate.
• Eaten by hand: a piece is pinched off, pressed with the thumb to make a hollow, and used to scoop up sauce.
• Beside a stew of beans, greens, meat or fish, which carries most of the flavour.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the flour, maize or cassava, since guests may ask which one they are eating.
• Say that it is served hot, because it stiffens as it cools.
• The porridge itself contains none of the major allergens, so flag the stew or relish beside it instead. Check for peanut, milk, egg and fish.
• The porridge is vegan on its own. Name the protein in each stew, since the stew decides whether the plate is vegan.