Experiments in Paleo meets Tex Mex

It has a long way to go but at least it finally sprouted!

If you know me, you know that I heart Tex Mex. Fortunately a lot of the ingredients found here in India lend themselves to the Tex Mex cuisine. Confusingly though, avocados are not as popular here and are insanely expensive. They went from being about 25 cents apiece in Kenya to 5 dollars a pop here. It's a travesty; I'm attempting to grow my own avocado tree in rebellion. 

Despite the ridiculous prices, I occasionally splurge and indulge on my favorite fruit. This was one of those days. Since I'm off bread, my favorite avocado toast was out so I decided to make a chicken avocado tortilla soup sans the tortillas. I adapted a few recipes to suit my tastes and pantry; original recipes found here, here, and here.

1 1/2 tbsp ghee
1 red onion
8 cloves of garlic
1 kg chicken mince  
6 c chicken broth
1 tsp Tabasco® sauce
4 jalapeño peppers 
1 tomato, seeded
1/4 c fresh coriander (cilantro) 
1 avocado
1 large lemon/lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and black pepper (to taste)

Meze Fresh Gourmet Burrito Bar

With only a few hours to kill in Kigali after a two week Byumba-imposed diet of chips and croquettes, my friends and I moto-ed across town in search of the famed "Chipotle-inspired burrito place". It's located between Kimihurura and Kacyiru. Not known to many moto drivers my friend told them to drop us at a well-known Chinese restaurant in the area (Great Wall Chinese) and then we just walked up the hill towards the boulevard. 

Popular among local expats, if you did not know what you were looking for when you stumbled across this restaurant you might be confused by the bright colors and traditional Rwandan art. However as soon as you approached the counter and saw the selection of fresh ingredients and multitude of options you would undoubtedly be filled with joy.

Many Americans will recognize the Chipotle-style layout (Freebirds, if you're from Texas). There's a wide selection to choose from including chicken, beef, pork, or vegetarian burritos, burrito bowls, and salads and prices are reasonable at 2,800-4000 RWF for burritos and 1000 RWF for a beer. 

Food Diary of a Tex Mex Addict

Pending my return to the States all I could think about was the TexMex delicacies that awaited me in my hometown of Dallas.  Upon arrival I was hoping for a Taco Bell fix but my health conscious mother instead insisted on making fixins for homemade fajitas instead.  I guess I can't complain.  Chicken grilled in taco seasoning and covered in salsa, sour cream, and cheddar is not a bad way to start a trip home to Texas.

Kampala Eateries

Disclaimer: If you're looking for an authentic Ugandan food experience, the restaurants listed here are not it. However, if you're in Kampala for a business trip and looking for some good eats or a fun place to hang then, by all means, read on.

When I headed to Kampala a few months ago for work, I received several recommendations of restaurants to check out. Despite my hectic work schedule, I still managed to chow down at quite a few including: Khana Kazana, one time sister restaurant to the Kigali restaurant of the same name, Lotus Mexican Cantina, Boda Boda, and Mammammia.