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Matoke, sometimes referred to as Ebitookye, is a type of banana, commonly known as a cooking banana.
These bananas are harvested green before being baked or steam cooked and pounded into various meals. In Uganda, one of their national dishes is the traditional Matoke, which is often served mashed. This dish is easy to prepare but can fill you up for hours! Great for lunch or dinner.
What is Matoke?
Matoke, also known as Mataba, is a classic banana-based cuisine found throughout Africa. In Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, it is very popular. Matoke can be prepared in a variety of ways and according to various recipes, but the method remains consistent.
Matoke is a common dinner that has different names in different parts of the world. This delicacy has been enjoyed by everyone in some form. Matoke is popular for lunch and dinner since it keeps you full and content.
Health Benefits of Matoke
Matoke might be an unusual dish, but it sure is healthy because it is made from vegan ingredients and offers several health benefits. Here are a few to name:
- It is a healthy and delicious food that can help you lose weight, improve your digestive system, and boost your immune system.
- Containing only 90 calories per serving, Matoke is filling enough to keep you going all day while being low in calories.
- It’s also high in fiber, which helps with weight loss.
- They also protect against oxidative stress from free radicals that can damage cells over time, leading to premature aging and disease development (e.g., Alzheimer’s).
- The high fiber content in Matoke makes it a great choice for those looking to lose weight because it contains fiber. Which is also crucial in digestive and heart health.
- It is ideal for diabetic people because of its low sugar content.
- It is a source of resistant starch which is converted to short-chain fatty acids and helps keep cholesterol levels low.
Matoke Recipe
There are several ways to prepare matoke: boiled, stewed, mashed, roasted, or fried with a sauce made from red hot chili pepper and onion. However, my favorite way to prepare it is to mix it with various sauces like tomato sauce, peanut butter sauce, or coconut sauce.
Every family has its preference and mode of cooking. In fact, almost no one cooks it exactly the same with another person. There’s always a personal touch added to it to make it more personal and distinct.
Some love to cook it with potatoes, carrots, peas, and any other vegetable of choice, but I like to keep it simple because I like the green banana and beef to be the star!
Ingredients for Making Matoke
- Green banana: The main ingredient you will need to make this dish is green bananas. These green bananas are unripe bananas that are a bit hard in texture and bland in taste. So, these soak up the flavors f the other ingredients and thus tend to turn out very tasteful. Plus, they are a bit different from the regular unripe bananas. You can easily find them at an Asian or African grocery store. You will need to peel the green bananas and cut them into 2-inch pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Avocado oil: You can use any vegetable oil for this recipe. I usually love using olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: Use either white or red onions for this recipe. Onions add a savory flavor to the dish. They set the base for the dish and therefore is, a compulsory ingredient.
- Garlic: adds a boost of flavor to the stew, you can substitute with garlic powder.
- Ginger: I prefer freshly grated ginger.
- Red bell pepper: Red bell pepper has a fruity flavor. Plus, it has a beautiful and vibrant color. Adding it to this dish elevates its flavor.
- Tomatoes: Chopped tomatoes add so much flavor to this dish. They offer a tangy flavor and aid in giving you a rich flavorsome gravy.
- Curry powder: Curry powder is an essential ingredient in many Caribbean recipes. It is a blend of different spices and has a rich and intense flavor and aroma.
- Cayenne pepper: Cayenne pepper adds heat to the dish and makes it more tasteful. You can adjust this ingredient according to your liking.
- Cilantro: Fresh grassy flavor of cilantro is the right choice to garnish this dish.
- Bouillon cubes: Bouillon cubes are a magical ingredient. They offer a savory and umami flavor to any dish. Adding it to the dish means you don’t have to worry about adding salt and other seasonings. Make sure you are choosing vegan bouillon cubes for this recipe.
- Water: Water will aid in cooking the green bananas until they are mushy. You can also add water to get some gravy.
Tips For Making This Dish
When making Matoke, here are a few things you should keep in mind for perfect results:
- Make sure you cut the green bananas in equal size. It is crucial for even cooking.
- Don’t forget to soak the green bananas in cold water for about 10 minutes before cooking.
- You can use green or yellow bell peppers instead of red bell pepper as well.
- Use canned tomatoes if you don’t happen to have fresh tomatoes.
- You can replace cayenne pepper with paprika powder. If you are a spice-lover, you can use a scotch bonnet as well.
- Add more vegetables like carrots, peas, or squash to this dish to make it more wholesome.
- If you don’t have vegan bouillon cubes, use vegetable stock instead of these and water.
- For more texture, you can garnish it with toasted sesame seeds or peanuts.
- For a creamy texture, add full-fat coconut milk to this dish in the end and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Best Serves For Matoke
Storage
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If you enjoyed this Recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!
MATOKE~ GREEN PLANTAIN GREEN BANANAS STEW
Ingredients
- 5 green bananas -raw plantain (Matoke)
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 green chillies.
- 150 ml water
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander for garnishing
Instructions
- Peel the green bananas- plantain and slice them in to 5mm thick round slices with a serrated knife from your knifes set. Soak them in cold water.
- Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Slit both the chillies and remove the membrane and seeds and cut into 4 pieces.
- Heat oil in a pan when it is hot add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Drain the bananas and add to the pan followed by the tomatoes, salt and pepper and chillies Mix well and add the water.
- Bring the stew to boil , than reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until bananas are tender and sauce has thickened. Add the lemon juice and stir. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander.
