Festive... Interesting... Ugandan?

This past Saturday the four lovely ladies congregated at a Bead for Life party where they were given (or perhaps forced) the chance to try a staple Ugandan food: Plantain Cake. Plantain cake is generally served at all meals, generally accompanying a sweet meat or vegetable dish.

Ingredients:
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs dry breadcrumbs
1 cup cottage cheese
4 tbs olive oil
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ripe plantains; peeled, halved and cut into pieces

Directions:
1. Fry the plantain strips in oil until they are well browned on both sides

the plantains, peeled, cut and ready to be fried

2. Mix cottage cheese, cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl

sugar, cottage cheese and cinnamon mixture

3. Beat the egg yolks until fluffy. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold the egg whites into the egg yolks.

4. Grease a baking dish and sprinkle the base with the breadcrumbs.Ta-da!

5. Add a quarter of the egg mixture into the dish and then add a layer of plantains.

6. Cover with a third of the cottage cheese mixture and a little olive oil. Repeat layers until all ingredients have been used. You will finish with the egg mixture.

7. Place in an oven pre-heated to 355 F and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

While this wasn't the most tasty dish I've ever eaten, I really enjoyed having the chance to try something new. And eating traditional Ugandan food just seemed to fit into the Bead for Life ambiance.