Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Burundi

Burundi’s food is built around beans and bananas anchor daily meals; Lake Tanganyika fish, grilled brochettes and sorghum or banana brews complete them. Look for Ibiharage (red kidney beans fried with onions and palm oil, the daily staple), Mukeke (prized Lake Tanganyika fish, grilled or stewed in Bujumbura) and Brochettes (grilled goat or beef skewers, ubiquitous bar snack). Beans are the backbone of the Burundian diet, among the highest per-capita bean consumption in the world, stewed with onion and palm oil. This atlas has 25 Burundi dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

25 dishes.

AmandaziAmandazisweet fried dough balls taken with teaBoko boko hareesBoko boko hareeschicken slow-cooked with bulgur wheat and turmericBrochettesBrochettesCharcoal beef or mutton skewers with mustard and chiliBurundian coffeeBurundian coffeeWashed arabica from hillside smallholdings, floral and cleanBurundian teaBurundian teaStrong black tea from the high ridges, drunk sweet with milkChapatiChapatiLayered wheat flatbread fried in oil and eaten with beans or teaIbiharageIbiharagered kidney beans fried with onions and palm oil, the daily stapleIbijumbaIbijumbaBoiled sweet potatoes eaten plain with tea or with beansIbitokeIbitokegreen bananas boiled or stewed, served with beansIgikomaIgikomaLoose sorghum or maize porridge drunk hot, sometimes soured overnightIgisafuliyaIgisafuliyaChicken, plantain and vegetables braised together in one covered potIkivugutoIkivugutoMilk soured thick in a churn, drunk cold or poured over ubugaliImpekeImpekesorghum beer sipped communally through reed strawsIsombeIsombecassava leaves pounded and simmered with palm oil and peanutsKanyangaKanyangaFiercely strong home-distilled banana or sorghum spiritLenga lengaLenga lengaAmaranth leaves stewed with onion, tomato and palm oilMukekeMukekeprized Lake Tanganyika fish, grilled or stewed in BujumburaNdagalaNdagalasmall silver Tanganyika fish fried wholePrimusPrimusPale lager sold in large brown bottles, Burundi's everyday beerSambusaSambusaDeep-fried triangle of pastry stuffed with spiced beef or beansSangalaSangalaNile perch from Lake Tanganyika grilled or fried whole with chilliUbugaliUbugalistiff cassava paste scooped with bean and fish stewsUbukiUbukiFermented honey wine, amber and strong, poured at ceremoniesUbunyobwaUbunyobwaThick roasted groundnut paste stirred into cassava leaves or fishUrwarwaUrwarwatraditional banana wine fermented with sorghum, shared at ceremonies

  • Amandazi

    Sweet fried dough balls taken with tea. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 25 minutes cooking. Makes about 24. A…

  • Boko boko harees

    Chicken slow-cooked with bulgur wheat and turmeric. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 2 hours cooking. Serves 6. A main…

  • Burundian tea

    Strong black tea from the high ridges, drunk sweet with milk. Ready in 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes cooking.…

  • Chapati

    Layered wheat flatbread fried in oil and eaten with beans or tea. Ready in 20 min prep and 25 min…

  • Igikoma

    Loose sorghum or maize porridge drunk hot, sometimes soured overnight. Ready in 5 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves…

  • Igisafuliya

    Chicken, plantain and vegetables braised together in one covered pot. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 1 hour 15 minutes…

  • Ibijumba

    Boiled sweet potatoes eaten plain with tea or with beans. Ready in 10 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves…

  • Ibitoke

    Green bananas boiled or stewed, served with beans. Ready in 20 min prep and 45 min cooking. 6 servings. A…

  • Impeke

    Sorghum beer sipped communally through reed straws. A wine & spirit recipe from Burundi.

  • Ikivuguto

    Milk soured thick in a churn, drunk cold or poured over ubugali. 10 min to prepare. Makes 1.5 litres. A…