South Sudanese Cuisine

South Sudanese cuisine is a hearty, wholesome and communal tradition, rooted in the grains, herds and rivers of the Nile plains and shaped by the country's many peoples. Its cornerstone is a thick porridge or dough of sorghum or maize, known as asida or kisra, eaten with rich stews and sauces, from meat and okra to greens and, above all, nutty peanut-based sauces that flavour so many dishes. Fresh fish from the White Nile is a staple, grilled or stewed, along with beans, pumpkin and seasonal vegetables. Meat from the herds so central to many South Sudanese cultures marks celebrations. Shared from communal dishes with warm hospitality, it is nourishing, generous food.

Highlights

• Asida and kisra - the sorghum and maize porridge and flatbread.
• The peanut sauces - the rich groundnut-based stews.
• The Nile fish - the fresh grilled and stewed river fish.
• The meat and greens - the hearty stews of meat, okra and greens.

When to go

Year-round; South Sudanese food is enjoyed across the country and through the diaspora. Thick sorghum porridge with rich peanut and okra stews, and fresh White Nile fish, are the staples to seek out.

Practical notes

South Sudanese cooking is hearty and staple-based, reflecting a young nation and the realities of the Nile plains, so its charm lies in warmth, nourishment and communal sharing more than variety. As a wholesome, generous tradition of the Nile, from sorghum porridge and peanut stews to fresh river fish, though, South Sudanese cuisine is a genuine and satisfying taste of the land.

Nearby

The markets and eateries of Juba, and South Sudanese communities abroad, serve it.