The proof is in the matooke

Cross-posted from OMT Founder Halle Butvin's personal blog, Locus Amoenus

Dinner at Prisca's has become a routine for One Mango Tree visitors and interns. The first time you go, she'll cook for you - after that, it's time to pitch in. International Women's Day is a national holiday in Uganda, so we accepted the invitation to lunch at Prisca's, knowing full well that we'd be put to work as soon as we arrived. We headed straight into the family kitchen tukul, the last evidence of the traditional grass-thatched housing on Prisca's property.

inside Prisca's kitchen

Kaela got to work cutting matooke, while Martina and I provided moral support. Cutting matooke is a much harder job than it seems, as the tough green bananas don't peel like the familiar yellow ones, and they ooze a sticky sap.

Prisca & Kaela peel matooke for lunch

Before we arrived, Prisca had already made her now-famous fried chicken, dodo with simsim (greens with ground sesame paste), and sweet potatoes. With the boiled matooke, we had a ladies-only feast. We filed out of the kitchen and into the two-room brick house where Prisca's family currently lives.

watching Al-Jazeera, drinking refrigerated sodas

The living room got a fresh coat of robin's-egg-blue paint over the holidays, and Charles (Prisca's husband) connected the house to the Gulu electric lines. We watched Al-Jazeera on their little TV, and Prisca commented on Qaddafi and what she thought might happen with the conflict in Libya. The new chest refrigerator hummed in the corner, and Prisca presented us with a selection of cold sodas.

success doesn't come to you... you go to it

What seem to be normal, mundane details of a ladies lunch are actually quite extraordinary. When I started One Mango Tree, I wanted to see quick results - big changes in the tailors' lives, and fast. I'm learning that fair trade's proof comes with time - sustained, regular income is what moves people out of the poverty trap, and for good. Charles only works sporadically on construction projects - Prisca is the family breadwinner. Through careful savings and budgeting, the incremental improvements she's made have translated into big changes for her family.

the front door of the new family home

In between the kitchen tukul and the two-room home, Prisca and Charles built a large brick home. She used her 2010 savings to put in the roof, floor and window casings. Even while building their home, Prisca and Charles are now able to make spending decisions based on comfort, not necessity. Their family crowds the TV each evening to watch the news and local programs (Prisca loves the Spanish telenovelas dubbed into English - they are a big hit here). They have meat for dinner almost every night, and usually invite friends and family to join in the feast. Prisca cuts up cold pineapple as a treat for the kids when they come in from playing after school. Even the matooke we ate is telling - it's a cuisine choice from southern Uganda, and very expensive to buy in Gulu. It's one of Prisca's favorite treats - one she can now easily afford.

THINGS WE LIKE 'FRIDAY': A BRAND NEW feature.

We thought it'd be neat to introduce you to a brand new feature: One Mango Tree EATS.



It'll be a column teaching you all about the local foods and how they're prepared. Before living in Uganda, I really had no idea what sorts of foods were prepared locally. If you're anything like I was or you've visited a million times, this is for you. We're really excited about it, so sit back and enjoy... or if you're extra-awesome, get out your cooking utensils.

Let's begin! The first we're featuring is one of our favorites. It's local cabbage and long-grain white rice. This will serve 2. Simply double the portions to serve more. Prepare the white rice as directed. Here's how you can make the local cabbage:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
- 1 head of Cabbage
- 1/2 large Tomato
- 1/2 red Onion
- Garlic (1-3 cloves to your liking)
- 4 Tbl. spoons of Olive Oil
- 2 Tbl. spoons of Salt
- 2 Tbl. spoons of Curry powder (or a meat-flavored powder)
*the women use something called "Roico" here

STEP ONE
Slice the head of cabbage into two halves; you will only use one half. Hold the half with one hand and using the other, use a knife in a downward motion to slice the cabbage into thin slivers (they can be long or short but it's very important they are on the thinner side).



STEP TWO
Chop the tomato, onion, and garlic. Drizzle the 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and begin to fry the onion and garlic. (The tomato will be tossed in later.)



STEP THREE
Toss in the cabbage. Cover the pan and for about 2-3 minutes, let the cabbage cook down a bit. Toss in 2 tablespoons of salt and curry/flavoring of your choice. Feel free to add more to taste.



STEP FOUR
As you let it all marinate together, it will continue cooking down. Let it simmer for another 4-5 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Toss in the tomatoes.



Serve alongside the white rice. If it's nearby, the Acholi will DEFINITELY add slices avocado atop the rice and cabbage. Seriously delicious... from the mouth of an American (whatever that means).



Ta da! Pat yourself on the back and chow down... or just continue sitting there. More to come! :)