For any other person, pounded bean cotyledons may not mean much, however among the Batooro, this is a cherished delicacy that is served with a lot of pride.
Writing this article makes one yearn to go and indulge in a meal of Firinda in Tooro Fort Portal. Firinda, Tooro’s favorite stew is made from beans. It is strongly imbedded in the tradition of the Batooro and is the most treasured meal.
For those who are familiar with Turkish food, this is not the Firinda you know, despite sharing the same name. This one is made in Tooro kingdom. Firinda is made by peeling off the skin of beans and it is usually served with millet which for long was the staple food for Batooro, although today matooke is more popular.
What makes Firinda special is the fact that it does not contain oil, no wonder it is so popular, that it gets finished earlier on the menu of most hotels at lunch time than any other dish.
If one comes late, one will not find it. Most people come early because the sauce gets finished earlier, so one has to be on time. People like it so much and normally Omukaru (roasted meat) is prepare alongside Firinda.
One of our visit0rs in the community said that, “It tastes good, I cannot lose appetite since it does not contain oils, it’s my favorite sauce I have ever heard. When I go back home, I will teach my family how to prepare it.”
The foods that are served with Firinda include millet, banana, and mingled cassava flour. It is at times prepared with egg plants, mixed with yam leaves and pumpkin leaves to give it a better taste with little cow ghee for flavor.
If you have the right ingredients, Firinda is not hard to prepare, neither is it time consuming nor does it require any “special” equipment to preparing and an expert.
Most Batooro prefer to use yellow beans commonly referred to as “Kisombwa,” since it is easier to remove their skin given their size, but all types of beans can be used to make Firinda.
The party must have Firinda
Every party associated with Tooro traditions is graced with Firinda, so make sure to ask for it when you attend one. If the meal is not served, the guests will go home complaining. This meal is always among the list of items to be taken to the in-laws during the traditional marriage ceremonies.
Firinda and pet names(empaako)
Pet names are commonly known as empaako and are important in Tooro region. If you have a pet name that was not given at a function where Firinda and millet were not served, the Batooro say that your pet name is fake. Therefore, for one to get a pet name millet is prepared with Firinda and ‘Omukaru’.
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