East Africa · Side
Ubugari (Cassava Flour Stiff Porridge)
A velvety, elastic cassava swallow whipped over direct flame to create the quintessential vessel for rich Rwandan sauces.
The story
Across the rugged hills of western and southern Rwanda, ubugari is the definitive centerpiece of the communal evening gathering. Traditionally prepared by women using a heavy wooden paddle known as umwiko, it demands robust physical stamina to break starch clumps against the pot walls. A key technical secret lies in the partial pre-fermentation of the dried cassava roots (imyumbati), which lends the dough its characteristic lactic tang and glossy, pliable texture.
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