ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in South Sudan
Five dishes to try in South Sudan, the most typical first. Five are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in South Sudan
Kisra
Thin fermented sorghum flatbread, soft and slightly sour.
How to have it: The everyday bread, served with okra or meat stews.
Asida
Thick sorghum or maize porridge eaten with a meat or vegetable stew.
How to have it: Shaped into a mound and shared from one bowl; scoop it with your right hand.
Ful medames
Stewed fava beans mashed with oil, onion and spices.
How to have it: A common breakfast at Juba cafes, eaten with bread.
Ugali Kwen
Stiff maize or sorghum porridge served with greens or meat.
How to have it: Popular in the south, often paired with fish from the Nile.
Mandazi
Lightly sweet fried dough buns.
How to have it: Sold in the morning at markets and tea stalls; good with sweet tea.
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Questions
What food is South Sudan famous for?
Kisra (thin fermented sorghum flatbread, soft and slightly sour) comes first on our list, followed by Asida, Ful medames, Ugali and Mandazi.
What is the national dish of South Sudan?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for South Sudan is Kisra: thin fermented sorghum flatbread, soft and slightly sour. The everyday bread, served with okra or meat stews.
Which dishes in South Sudan are vegetarian?
All five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Kisra, Asida, Ful medames, Ugali and Mandazi. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in South Sudan
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.