Curious about what the neighbours have in their kitchen? We are. That’s why we are taking a look into the kitchens of food lovers we know. Every other month, one of them will share 5 of their favourite ingredients and tell us why they love them so. This month we feature Senteza Kironde.
Senteza Kironde aka Sentie is the founder of Sentie’s Kitchen, a catering business based in Boston Massachusetts that focuses on Ugandan food and African BBQ meats.
My main goal is to promote our beautiful, rich culture in the diaspora through food.
1. knife
I am picky about what type of equipment I use in Sentie’s Kitchen because I am all about efficiency. I will not use just any knife, so my first item is a 7 inch Calphalon Santoku Knife that’s forged from high-carbon German steel. The straight cutting edge is lined with divots that help keep food from sticking to the blade which comes in handy especially with Ugandan food.
2. nON-STICK PAN
I love cooking with non-stick pans mostly because you don’t need to use oil when cooking (for the most part) and if you do it right, the food won’t stick to the bottom of the pan. They are also easier to clean. DO NOT use metal utensils when cooking with a non-stick pan because it will ruin the coating. That’s always been one of my pet peeves.
3. INSTANT POT/PRESSURE COOKER
This machine is a life saver. I love using my Instant Pot when making food like Katogo or Kigere because it usually takes 2+ hours to cook on a stove top but 30-45mins using the Instant Pot. It is also energy efficient so that’s a plus.
4. RED ONIONS
I prefer red onions to white/yellow onions because they are more flavorful and give your food a distinct taste. Can’t go wrong with these.
5. PILAU MASALA
To make a good pilau dish, you need to use the right spices and Pilau Masala is the most essential ingredient. I make my own and it consists of cloves, cumin, pepper and other “secret” spices that I won’t divulge, LOL.
Find Sentie’s kitchen on Facebook and Instagram