{{Short description|Ugandan cuisine made from peeled mashed beans}}{{Infobox food | name = Firinda | type = sauce | course = Main course | place_of_origin = Western Uganda | region = East Africa | mintime = 2 hours | maxtime = 3 hours | main_ingredient = Dry beans, Ghee or Cooking oil, Table salt, Onions, Tomatoes | minor_ingredient = Fish or any type of meat, Garden eggs, Egg plants, Ginger powder, Garlic, Soda Ash liquid, Ebisunsa (pumpkin leaves), Mush rooms, Yam leaves | variations = Fish or any type of meat can be added to the Firinda sauce | alt = Firinda sauce in a sauce pan | image = Firinda sauce in a sauce pan.jpg | caption = Firinda sauce in a sauce pan }} '''Firinda''' is a Ugandan sauce, made from uncoated mashed beans that originates from Western Uganda among the Batooro, Banyoro and Bakonzo.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2020-09-14 |title=FIRINDA: Making the most of beans |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/special-reports/uganda-50/firinda-making-the-most-of-beans-1517280 |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=Monitor |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-01-09 |title=Ease your digestion with Firinda |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/life/ease-your-digestion-with-firinda-1559810 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Monitor |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Sunday |date=2021-11-25 |title=Batoro: Gentle people with rich heritage |url=https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/people/batoro-gentle-people-with-rich-heritage-NV_120726 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=New Vision}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> It is also known as Madakwa by the Congolese.<ref name=":5" /> It is a sauce that symbolises hospitality, served at different occasions including traditional marriage ceremonies, restaurants and cultural rituals.<ref name=":4" />
== Ingredients ==
=== Major ingredients ===
* Dry beans<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> * Ghee<ref name=":0" /> or Cooking oil * Table salt * Onions * Tomatoes
=== Optional ingredients ===
* Fish or any type of meat * Garden eggs * Eggplant<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Baranga |first=Samson |date=2018-02-19 |title=Firinda is entrenched in Tooro culture |url=https://observer.ug/lifestyle/56962-firinda-is-entrenched-in-tooro-culture |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=The Observer - Uganda |language=en-gb}}</ref> * Ginger powder * Garlic * Soda Ash liquid (To make the beans cook faster) * Ebisunsa (pumpkin leaves) * Mushrooms * Yam leaves
== Preparation of Firinda ==
=== Soaking of the dry beans === '''Ebihimba''' (dry beans) are first soaked in cold water overnight before the day of preparation or soaking them in hot water for at least two hours or they are half boiled so that beans coats/covers are softened.<ref name=":0" /> The bean coats are then peeled off from the bean seeds to leave only the cotyledons, a process known as "'''''Kutoondoora Ebihimba'''''".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2019-11-07 |title=Explore Ugandan Food on Safari |url=https://www.waveexpeditions.ug/ugandans-mouth-watering-foods/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Wave Expeditions Uganda |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title="I come from the Buganda tribe, and our staple food is matooke" |url=https://yourcommonwealth.org/uncategorized/i-come-from-the-buganda-tribe-and-our-staple-food-is-matooke/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=YourCommonwealth |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5" />
=== Boiling of the uncoated beans === alt=Boiled uncoated beans that will be used to prepare Firinda|thumb|123x123px|Boiled uncoated beans that will be used to prepare Firinda The uncoated beans are re-boiled until they are ready and their the water is drained. The drained water is kept to be later used instead of adding water.<ref name=":0" /> Egg plants can be boiled together with the uncoated beans but it is optional. if the egg plants are used, they should be removed when they are ready before mashing the cooked uncoated beans.<ref name=":0" /> The ready uncoated beans are the mashed either using a blender or masher.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" /> The mashed beans can either be fried using cooking oil or ghee for health reasons.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" />
=== Cooking using ghee === The mashed beans are mixed with chopped tomatoes, pumpkin or yam leaves, onions and other ingredients. The water that was drained before mashing the beans is added back to the mixture and boiled for about 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes soften, while stirring occasionally so that the mixture does not burn. Cow ghee and salt are added to the mixture and boiled for about 5 to 10 minutes while stirring.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> The result is a creamy paste known as Firinda.<ref name=":5" />
=== Frying the uncoated mashed beans using cooking oil === Frying the mashed beans is an alternative way to using ghee. When using cooking oil to fry the mashed beans, adding of ghee can be skipped.
A pot is put on a fire and cooking oil is poured into it, spices such as chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic are added into the cooking oil and fried for about 5 minutes to make a paste. The water that was drained before mashing the beans is added back to the mashed beans and salt is added. The mixture is then boiled for about 15 to 20 minutes while stirring occasionally so that no burning of the mixture occurs.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Sophie |date=2014-09-29 |title=Firinda Soup |url=https://akitcheninuganda.com/2014/09/29/classic-firinda-soup/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=A Kitchen In Uganda |language=en}}</ref> The result is a creamy paste known as Firinda which can be served at this stage. A type of meat or fish can also be added to the Firinda.
=== Adding of a type of meat or fish === alt=Fried meat that will be used to prepare Firinda sauce|thumb|127x127px|Fried meat that will be used to prepare Firinda sauce
==== Adding type of meat ==== Roasted meat (Omukaro) or deep fried meat such as pork, goat meat or beef can be mixed to the firinda after it has been prepared separately in another pot. And the mixture is boiled for 5 to 10 minutes before it is served.
==== Adding fish ==== Smoked, deep fried or sun dried fish can be mixed to the firinda after it has been prepared separately in another pot. And the mixture is boiled for 5 to 10 minutes before it is served.
== Serving of the Firinda == alt=Firinda sauce served with Kalo|thumb|150x150px|Firinda sauce served with Kalo Firinda is served in Ekibindi (traditional plate) with Kalo which is put in Endiiro (traditional basket made from papyrus) but it can be served with other foods which include; Matooke, Cassava, Rice, sweet potatoes, Posho among other foods.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5" />
== See also ==
* Sombe * Eshabwe * Malewa * Kikomando * Dek Ngor {{Commons}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtw6Msf-jO8&ab_channel=TheCookingNurse How to make firinda and millet bread (oburo) by The Cooking Nurse YouTube channel] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmewhLptPh4&ab_channel=TribeTooro How to Prepare Firinda by Tribe Tooro YouTube channel] * [https://www.gorillatrekkingtoursandsafaris.com/cuisines-to-try-out-when-you-visit-uganda/ Cuisines to try out when you visit Uganda]
Category:Ugandan cuisine Category:Fish stews Category:National dishes Category:Eggplant dishes Category:Legume dishes