Exploring Kapchorwa: Cooking with the Kapchorwa Mamas

Welcome to our Exploring Kapchorwa series! In these blogs, we share highlights from our time in this special part of Uganda, covering the activities we’ve tried, the people we’ve met, and the beauty of the area. We hope to inspire you to discover it for yourself.

Today I go for the Cooking with the Kapchorwa Mamas experience!

A warm welcome at the family house🤗

Just outside of Kapchorwa, I’m visiting a family that lives almost entirely off their own land. Today, I’m joining them for a traditional cooking class.

This isn’t the kind of family I’m used to. It’s a big, polyamorous one. Grandpa, his two wives, four sons with their wives and many children. All living together.

Polyamorous families are still quite common here, though less so than in the past. I quickly learn that sons always build houses around their parents’ home. It’s a way to stay close, to ensure safety and support.

When I arrive, the family welcomes me with singing. At first, I feel a bit uncomfortable standing there while they sing for me. But my guide, Shadrack, explains that this is how they always greet visitors, a way of showing happiness and respect. Knowing this makes the moment feel truly special.😊

Italian guests during a Cooking with the Kapchorwa Mamas experience in 2025

Italian guests during a Cooking with the Kapchorwa Mamas experience in 2025. Photo credit: Guide Joshua

Nothing goes to waste♻️

After a short introduction, we head straight to the banana farm to harvest matoke (green bananas). Before I know it, I’m cutting down a banana tree myself!

With the bananas ready for cooking, they explain that every part of the plant is useful. The leaves, for example, are woven into ‘crowns’ to protect their heads when carrying heavy loads. It’s impressive, nothing goes to waste here. A lesson we could all learn from!

On the way back, we pick other ingredients, such as small round eggplants. The family shares how fertile land is essential for raising a family. In fact, when a man wants to marry, he must show his future father-in-law the land where he and his bride will live. This homestead is a perfect example of that tradition.

Preparing the meal👩🏽‍🍳

Back at the house, we get straight to work.

We peel the matoke (much tougher than ripe bananas!), grind grains with large stones to make posho flour and mash g-nuts (small peanuts) for sauce. As we work, the women and children sing traditional songs to keep the energy up.

One of the songs warns against sneaking bites of the g-nuts before the sauce is ready. It’s lighthearted and fun, making the cooking process even more enjoyable.🎶

Conversations and connections🤝

While the mamas continued cooking in the small, round kitchen hut, I had time to sit and talk with the guides.

Our conversation flowed naturally, touching on their way of life, polyamory, gender roles and how traditions are changing under outside influences. It was eye-opening to hear their perspectives. They shared so openly and honestly.

Meanwhile, the children played nearby, full of energy and laughter. Sometimes they ran over for attention; other times, they quietly helped with chores.

Tasting the local cuisine😋

When the food was ready, we all gathered to eat. The meal included:

  • 🍌 Matoke: Cooked green bananas, similar to potatoes.

  • 🌽 Posho: Dense maize porridge.

  • 🍆 Eggplant: Simply boiled, without seasoning.

  • 🥜 Sauce: Mashed g-nuts mixed with spinach.

  • 🥛 Local milk: Fermented fresh milk, stored in a clay pot for a few days.

Some of the flavors were completely new to me. It took a moment to adjust, but the freshness and care behind every dish were unmistakable. The guides kept praising the meal, clearly enjoying every bite.

What I learned from the Mamas👩‍🎓

As we ate, we chatted more about the local food and traditions.

The mamas explained that their meals are traditionally tasteless, sour or bitter. Sweetness just isn’t part of the native Kapchorwa palate. Even when they use spices, like tomatoes and onions, they’ll often use just half or one piece for the entire family.

These meals remain a staple of daily life, enjoyed just as they’ve been for generations.

A Lasting Impression😇

I’m grateful for the chance to connect with these families. To learn about their culture and see how they care for the land and for each other. It’s inspiring to witness how traditions are kept alive, passed down from one generation to the next.

😇 Want to experience it yourself?

Join the Cooking with the Kapchorwa Mamas tour and discover the flavors, stories and heartwarming hospitality of this unique Community.