I Found Africa's Most Expensive Street Food!!

Key Concepts

• Ugandan street food
• Rolex (rolled eggs in chapati)
• Aino Market
• Kigo (mixture of foods)
• Palao (rice dish with beef)
• Cow hooves soup
• Grasshoppers
• White ants (African termites)
• Ugandan cuisine characteristics (boiling, charcoal stoves)

Aino Market Exploration

The video begins with the presenter in Aino Market, Kampala's largest market, aiming to spend $100 on street food. The market is described as a department store with sections for clothing, shoes, and food. The presenter highlights a nut grinding station where peanuts are processed for stews. He even participates in the peanut grinding process.

Breakfast: The Rolex

The first food sampled is the iconic Ugandan street food, Rolex, costing $1.10. The Rolex is made by Robert, a street food vendor. The process involves:

1. Rolling out wheat flour dough into a chapati.
2. Frying the chapati in oil.
3. Preparing an egg mixture with green peppers, shallots, cabbage, and chili powder.
4. Cooking the egg mixture like an omelette.
5. Placing the chapati over the egg and flipping it.
6. Adding fresh tomato slices and salt.
7. Rolling the egg and chapati together.

The presenter explains the name "Rolex" comes from "roll eggs." He describes the taste as fried bread and eggs with tomato, salt, chili powder, onions, and green peppers.

Unique "Olive" and Lunch Preparations

The presenter then tries a local fruit resembling an olive, costing $1.40. However, it tastes like avocado with a grape skin and contains a large seed. He then explores the lunch cooking area of the market, observing women preparing chicken stew with tomatoes, eggplant, onions, and green peppers. He also notes a repurposed fan grill used for grilling lamb or goat.

Lunch: Kigo (Mixture of Foods)

The third food is Kigo, a mixture of foods costing $1.40. The plate includes:

• Peanut stew over rice
• Beef stew
• Beans
• Green banana
• Cabbage salad

The presenter describes the peanut stew as savory and the beef as chewy. He notes the starchy green banana and its compatibility with the beans. He praises the skill and effort put into preparing the dish.

Palao with Simon the Meme

The presenter is joined by Simon, known for the "Why are you gay?" meme. They share Ugandan Palao, a rice dish cooked with fried onions and masala, topped with beef stew, beans, stewed cow peas, and ground nuts. The presenter describes the rice as flavorful due to the spices. Simon shares that the viral video was from 13 years ago (around 2012) and has had a complex impact on his life. He now does Cameo videos, often repeating the famous line.

Cow Hooves Soup

The next food is cow hooves soup, prepared by Panina. The hooves are boiled in a broth with onions, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, and salt. Simon describes it as a hangover cure. The presenter finds it rich, savory, and fatty. He tries the shank and the hoof, noting the gummy tendon and the softened skin. Simon instructs him to suck the bone marrow, which he describes as buttery and smooth.

Grasshoppers

The presenter and Simon discuss trying grasshoppers and winged ants. Simon departs, and the presenter tries grasshoppers, a rare delicacy in Uganda, costing $27.50 for a portion. He shares them with a local woman who enjoys them. He describes the taste as slightly sweet, salty, and crispy, comparing them to peanuts.

Chicken Stew and White Ants (Termites)

The presenter tries chicken stew, noting that chicken is relatively expensive in Uganda ($14 for a live chicken). The bowl of stew costs $5.50. He finds the broth oily and rich, and the chicken chewy but delicious. Finally, he samples white ants (African termites), a rare and expensive food. The ants are eaten raw. He tries them with a local woman who enjoys them. He describes the taste as a cross between dairy and saffron, with a silky, smooth, and crunchy texture. Adding salt enhances the flavor.

Conclusion

The presenter spent $62 on street food in Kampala, Uganda, less than the initial $100 goal, but more than expected. The high cost was due to the rare delicacies like grasshoppers and white ants. The video concludes with thanks to Nicholas from "Eating the African Way" for introducing him to the foods.