St. Charles Lwanga & Companians

Today is the feast day of Charles Lwanga and Companions, 19th century martyrs from Uganda, Africa. They are the first martyrs of Sub-Saharan Africa. Saints such as Charles Lwanga are examples of the true universality of the Church and it's zealous followers.

It is fun and educational to incorporate cultural foods of the saints into our feast day remembrances, especially ones that might not be familiar to us. There are a variety or recipes I found online that are representative of the Ugandan culture. Here is one that seems fairly simple and would make a nice tea-time snack.

Amandazi (Fritters)

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Egg

1/2 cup Milk

Oil for frying

In a bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add the egg and milk and stir to form a viscous dough. Heat the oil in pan. Add the dough one spoon at a time and fry until golden. Place on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot.

Enjoy your amandazi with a cup of sweetened chai tea - a common beverage in the East African countries.

Prayer:
Martyrs of Uganda, pray for the faith where it is danger and for Christians who must suffer because of their faith. Give them the same courage, zeal, and joy you showed. And help those of us who live in places where Christianity is accepted to remain aware of the persecution in other parts of the world. ~Amen