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June 3

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Saint of the day:
Saint Charles Lwanga 

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Patron Saint of Uganda

The Story of Saint Charles Lwanga

 

For those of us who think that the faith and zeal of the early Christians died out as the Church grew more safe and powerful through the centuries, the martyrs of Uganda are a reminder that persecution of Christians continues in modern times, even to the present day. The Society of Missionaries of Africa (known as the White Fathers) had only been in Uganda for 6 years and yet they had built up a community of converts whose faith would outshine their own. The earliest converts were soon instructing and leading new converts that the White Fathers couldn't reach. Many of these converts lived and taught at King Mwanga's court. King Mwanga was a violent ruler and pedophile who forced himself on the young boys and men who served him as pages and attendants. The Christians at Mwanga's court who tried to protect the pages from King Mwanga. The leader of the small community of 200 Christians, was the chief steward of Mwanga's court, a twenty-five-year-old Catholic named Joseph Mkasa (or Mukasa). When Mwanga killed a Protestant missionary and his companions, Joseph Mkasa confronted Mwanga and condemned his action. Mwanga had always liked Joseph but when Joseph dared to demand that Mwanga change his lifestyle, Mwanga forgot their long friendship. After striking Joseph with a spear, Mwanga ordered him killed. When the executioners tried to tie Joseph's hands, he told them, "A Christian who gives his life for God is not afraid to die." He forgave Mwanga with all his heart but made one final plea for his repentance before he was beheaded and then burned on November 15, 1885. Charles Lwanga took over the instruction and leadership of the Christian community at court -- and the charge of keeping the young boys and men out of Mwanga's hands. Perhaps Joseph's plea for repentance had had some affect on Mwanga because the persecution died down for six months. Anger and suspicion must have been simmering in Mwanga, however. In May 1886 he called one of his pages named Mwafu and asked what the page had been doing that kept him away from Mwanga. When the page replied that he had been receiving religious instruction from Denis Sebuggwawo, Mwanga's temper boiled over. He had Denis brought to him and killed him himself by thrusting a spear through his throat. He then ordered that the royal compound be sealed and guarded so that no one could escape and summoned the country's executioners. Knowing what was coming, Charles Lwanga baptized four catechumens that night, including a thirteen-year-old named Kizito. The next morning Mwanga brought his whole court before him and separated the Christians from the rest by saying, "Those who do not pray stand by me, those who do pray stand over there." He demanded of the fifteen boys and young men (all under 25) if they were Christians and intended to remain Christians. When they answered "Yes" with strength and courage Mwanga condemned them to death.

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​https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=35

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Prayer

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Visit
 

Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs, Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine

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Recipe:

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Ugandan Groundnut Stew

 

Ingredients

  • 450g stewing beef or 12 chicken legs

  • 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

  • 2 medium onions (chopped)

  • 450g ripe tomatoes (chopped) 

  • 3 fresh chili peppers

  • 450g carrots (or a mixture of carrots, turnips and bell pepper)

  • 1 tsp thyme

  • 2 tsp coriander

  • 2 1⁄2 cm piece fresh ginger, grated or 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder

  • salt and black pepper TT

  • garlic TT


Directions​

  1. Season chicken with 1 tsp ground coriander, garlic powder, thyme, pepper and salt.

  2. Add 1 tbsp of peanut oil to a frying pan over medium heat and brown the chicken on all sides in batches.

  3. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and add the onion and peppers and cook for 5 mins until the onions are softened.

  4. Add 1 tbsp chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp water, the peanut butter, the garlic, ginger and chopped chili pepper to the mini chopper. Give it a quick stir to loosen up the peanut butter and blend into a paste.

  5. Stir the blended peanut butter sauce, the remaining ingredients and chicken back into the onion mix, bring to a boil, then reduce to a 'rolling simmer' for about 60 mins.

  6. Leave cover ajar during cooking as you want the peanut sauce to reduce.

  7. Stir the mix occasionally during the 60 minutes as the peanut butter could settle at the bottom of the pot.

  8. You want a peanut soup that is darker, tastes sweeter and 'caramelised' at the end'. (You will see a few small bits of oil floating at the top when done.) At the end of 60 mins, taste stew and adjust seasoning, then turn off.

  9. Serve with rice (plantains or bread) and garnish with nuts, herbs and spring onions.
    https://recipesfromapantry.com/west-african-chicken-peanut-stew/

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Ugandan Chapati (Bread)

Easy East African Chapati recipe that’s made without yeast or baking powder.
You’ll love how soft and pliable this chapati is, making it perfect to use as a
wrap or to dunk into sauces.  The possibilities are endless! 

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Ingredients

  • 500 g All-purpose flour (sifted to remove any lumps)

  • 50 g All-purpose flour (for kneading and dusting)

  • 280 ml Water lukewarm

  • 1 tsp Sea salt

  • 1/2 cup Ghee OR butter OR oil

  • 1 tsp Sugar optional
     

Directions

  1.  In a large mixing bowl, add water, oil, sugar and salt and mix well.  Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon tillthe mixture comes together. 

  2.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is smooth and supple. 

  3.  Alternatively, make the dough using a kitchen aid with a dough hook attachment for 5 to 8 minutes. 

  4. Divide the dough into 12 to 14 pieces and form them into balls between your palms or between the kitchen countertop and your palm.

  5. Cover the balls with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.

  6. Lightly flour your working surface and work on one dough ball at a time.  Gently press with fingers and roll out as thin as you can with a rolling pin.

  7. Gently brush the rolled dough surface with melted butter/Ghee/Oil.  Follow by sprinkling some flour all over it.

  8. Once that is done, roll the dough like you would a mat.  After that, coil the mat-like-dough and tuck the end in the middle of the coil.

  9. Repeat the process with all the dough balls.  This is the process that will ensure layers in your East African Chapati. 

  10. Cover the dough once more and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes:

  11. Working with one dough at a time, lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough using a rolling pinin to a circle. 

  12. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and place the rolled out dough. 

  13. Cook for about 30 seconds till bubbles appear on the upper side and flip. Brush the upper cooked surface with melted butter/ghee/oil and once you are done, flip to the original side.  (At this point, both sides have been partially cooked without oil and the surface on the frying pan is brushed with oil).

  14. Now, brush the upper side too with oil and using a flat spatula, press chapati gently against the skillet for15 seconds. 

  15. Flip once more and press the other side gently against the skillet too. Remove the chapati from the skillet and store in a container covered with a clean kitchen towel. https://jayne-rain.com/east-african-chapati-recipe/

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