East Africa · Side
Posho (Stiff White Cornmeal Porridge)
A dense, pillowy white maize staple steam-cooked and beaten against the pot until resilient and glossy.
The story
Eaten nationwide across Uganda from school dining halls to domestic kitchens, Posho (also known as Kawunga) serves as the primary caloric anchor alongside rich bean or meat gravies. While maize was introduced to the interior of East Africa via Portuguese trade routes, it became firmly institutionalized in Uganda during the twentieth century. Technologically, proper posho relies on mechanical shearing using a flat wooden mingler (omuko) to break starch granules and develop an elastic, cohesive gel without lumping.
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