What to eat Rwanda? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Rwandan cuisine is not very spicy, but it is not lacking in flavour. The basic condiments are usually a mixture of onion, garlic, tomato pulp and broth cube, which are often used in many dishes. Indeed, while Maggi cubes may not seem to be the most authentic ingredient on the continent, they are very common in many Central and West African countries. For lovers of spice, however, there is akabanga. This oil is made from tiny yellow peppers and can be found in almost every restaurant, as well as in local kitchens. Be warned however, a few drops are enough to ignite the palate. Although Rwanda - rightly nicknamed the "land of a thousand hills" - has long remained landlocked, there are some external influences from Europe as well as from India and the Arab world, especially visible in the Muslim quarter of Kigali.

Meat consumption is occasional during the week, and Rwandans greatly appreciate vegetables and starchy foods. Beans - especially red beans - are eaten daily by a majority of locals. They are most often mixed with other ingredients such as plantain, cassava, sweet potato, yam, corn, potatoes - commonly prepared in the form of delicious French fries -, rice or even cabbage. The dishes are accompanied byugali (a kind of dough made from corn flour that is found in much of Africa), matoke (cooked plantain) or chapati (flat bread of Indian origin). At home, Rwandans are particularly fond ofumutsima (cassava and corn paste),isombe (mashed cassava leaves with eggplant and spinach) and mizuzu (fried plantains). Not to mention kawunga, a corn paste with simmered red beans.

If one could name a national dish it would beigisafuliya. This word means "pot" in Kinyarwanda, the official language of the country, and is a tasty chicken stew with plantain, cassava leaves, tomato and bell pepper. In local restaurants, you can also enjoy goat kebabs, half-meat half-bean stews or zingalo, tripe that is eaten on skewers or in soups. Or opt for theakabenz. This is a simple specialty of pork marinated in lemon juice and grilled on the barbecue. The presence of many bodies of water in the country, including the immense Lake Kivu, offers Rwandans access to a wide variety of fish, including the unconditional tilapia, a large fish that is eaten grilled and fried as well as simmered, when not just the head of the animal whose fleshy parts such as the cheeks are very appreciated. Otherwise discover the sambaza, a small fish, called "sardine of Lake Kivu" that is served simply fried, to be eaten whole, heads and bones included.

For a quick bite to eat, you can try theamandazi, a fritter cooked in oil, or the samboussa (of Indian origin), small triangles of puff pastry containing a mixture of vegetables and minced meat. Street vendors sell grilled meats and corn.

If Rwandan cuisine shows a certain imagination for salty dishes, the tourist may be confronted with a virtual absence of desserts. One can find some Western pastries in the capital, but there are not really any local specialties. However, one can enjoy some tropical fruits all year round such as papaya, pineapple, tomatillos (an amazing red fruit with a slight tomato aftertaste), passion fruit, bananas and of course mango. However, fruits are eaten as snacks and not much at the end of the meal.

In the country, you will notice the existence of many "inyange" signs, meaning fresh milk bars, to consume on the spot or to take away. Rwandans consume a lot of milk, it is found everywhere in Kigali and in the whole country. When it comes to hot drinks, it is impossible not to mention Rwandan coffee. Thanks to its tropical mountain climate, this small country offers great possibilities in terms of coffee cultivation, whose first plantations appeared when it was under German domination at the beginning of the ^20th century, then Belgian after the First World War. The plant originates from Ethiopia and Yemen and thrives in moderate temperatures. Coffee in Rwanda is mostly of the Bourbon variety, a cultivar of Arabica. Tea is also very popular. The tea trees are found in the humid hills of the country. The famous "Thousand Hills" tea is one of them.

Beer is the national drink of Rwanda. The most famous brands are Mützig, Primus, Amstel, Guinness, all brewed by Bralirwa (Heineken group), established in Gisenyi on the lake. Don't be surprised if you are asked if you want your beer warm or cold. The recommended answer every time will be "cold" if you want to be sure that the bottle comes out of the fridge. Since 2010, Bralirwa is no longer alone on the market. The Belgian company Unibra has taken over the Mille Collines brewery in Kigali, which produces Skol. But for those who want 100% local, discover a beer made from sorghum(ikigage) or banana(urwagwa).

Although wine is expensive (often from South Africa), there are locally produced fruit wines. For example, Carmelite nuns produce a wine called Le Secret des Grands Lacs from pineapple, passion fruit or avocado. There are also strawberry, banana and Japanese plum wines produced in the Nyamagabe region. There is also inkangaja mead oragashya made from passion fruit juice, which is not alcoholic. One of the main production and sales centers is in Nyirangarama, on the road from Kigali to Musanze.