Telling myself that posho was similar to mashed potatoes calmed me down because it connected something new (posho) to something I already like (mashed potatoes). Finding a way to relate a food from America to a new food here in Uganda gave me courage to try it! After tasting posho, I thought it was yummy, especially when mixed with beans. My community appreciates when I eat and enjoy food from the local culture.
Posho is made by mixing maize (corn) flour and boiling water. Once you mix these two things together in the same pot, you then mingle them together. Mingle means stirring in a hard and fast motion. Can you pretend to mingle posho? When the maize flour and hot water are done mixing together, they become a thick dough. It looks like mashed potatoes! Posho is served as a large lump on one plate. People take scoops (sometimes using their hands) from the large lump to put on their own plates. Search my media to find a video of my neighbor, Martha, teaching you how to make posho!
Yes, posho is connected to the environment. First, many Ugandans grow maize (corn) in their gardens and on their farms. They rely on the sun and rainy season to help the maize (corn) plant grow. Then, they pick the ear of the maize (corn) from the plant and dry it by laying it out in the sun for many days. Once the ear of the maize (corn) is dry, they remove the corn kernels by hand. Next, they blend and grind many corn kernels together at once to make a powder. Ugandans use a small machine for blending and grinding.
