The Rolex

As a traveller there is rarely much access to kitchen facilities or the financial incentive to use them. So to avoid paying mzungu prices for substandard food one needs to eat closer to what the local population eats (i.e. paying local prices for substandard food). Most people in the world however cannot afford to eat in restaurants, so there is an apparent dilemma.

Thankfully this restaurant problem is overcome by stepping out of the restaurants and into the street. If you don't want to pay the dollar or two it costs to sit down in a local restaurant you can eat while standing for half the price. Unfortunately street food is not always very conducive to vegetarianism, often greasy meat is one of its primary ingredients. In Uganda this problem is overcome by the ubiquity of chapatis. The chapati in East Africa is a little different than its Indian counterpart; they are bigger and appear to use less whole wheat flour (though I think they use some!) and are cooked on a hot iron with a little oil. They are delicious and cost less than 25cents.

In Uganda the chapati has even been improved on with the invention of the Rolex. A rolex is simply a fresh chapati rolled up with an omelet with a few vegetables thrown in (hot sauce, salt and ketchup to taste). A delicious and nutritious meal for less than 50cents. Some places even have avocado! Needless to say I am a big fan. The only shortcoming is that the griddles don't usually get fired up until after dark, and while they are an amazing late night snack, they would be a perfect breakfast as well..