Dek-ngor, traditional sauce that also works as food on its own
Dek,ngor preparation is an easy step-by-step affair that can be done by almost anyone. Photos by Cissy Makumbi
What you need to know:
This dish has earned its place in the annals of Acholi’s history of food, if there is such a thing, given its popularity with people from all walks of life in the region.
Just like any other wild plant, lapena commonly known as (pigeon peas) was a wild plant for wild animals especially monkeys and baboons. However when hunger hit the region in the 16th and 17th Centuries people at that time tried ways of survival. They cooked the peas and that was the beginning of having it grown even in homes, according to Chief David Nicholas, 76.
The Acholi people in northern Uganda started growing lapena and keeping it in their granaries just like the other peas in the homes and later there was new form of preparing it known as Dek-ngor.
Dek-ngor is widely eaten and cooked in almost all the restaurants, eating
joints and homes because it is delicious. For parties like graduation ceremonies and traditional marriage or when new born babies are being given names, this dish is always there, expected by all.
It is also believed to be an important side dish for in-laws when they visit and also when parents of women visit where their daughter is married. Dek-ngor as a sauce can be eaten with millet bread, posho and sweat potatoes, however many people prefer eating it mixed with sheer nut butter known as moya. It is also eaten by neighbours in Lango and West Nile regions.
How to prepare Dek- ngor
According to Ms Rebecca Latigo, lapena when it is still in its peas form is put in warm water for at least 20 minutes. Put it in the sun to dry for 10 minutes after which it is grinded on a clean stone to separate the seeds into two and then the process of winnowing starts, to remove the covers.
After the covers are removed, you boil water and put the lapena in hot water to boil until it gets ready. When it is soft enough, there is a mingling stick locally called Ogwec for stirring. When it becomes ready, it assumes a cream-like thick porridge look.
The dish is also mixed with simsim paste depending on the quantity you have
prepared to make it thicker, improve taste and aroma.
She adds that dek- ngor can also be eaten on its own as food because of its nutrient values, especially for children and elderly people who do not have an appetite for food. The dish is also a favourite among youth and hard working adults because it stays long in the tummy.
