Matoke with Groundnut Sauce (Matoke n’ebinyeebwa)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Green bananas (matoke), peeled — 10
- Banana leaves, for steaming (or foil) — 4-5
- Raw groundnuts (peanuts), ground — 250 g (1 3/4 cups)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Tomatoes, chopped — 2
- Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
- Water — 600 ml (2 1/2 cups)
- Fine salt — 1 1/2 tsp
Method
- Wrap the whole peeled green bananas in banana leaves or foil to form a parcel.
- Place the parcel on a rack over simmering water in a large pot, cover, and steam for 45-60 minutes, until completely tender.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onion in oil for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Stir in the ground groundnuts and water, and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until thickened into a smooth sauce. Season with salt.
- Unwrap the steamed bananas and mash lightly in the parcel or in a bowl, keeping some texture.
- Serve the mashed matoke topped generously with the warm groundnut sauce.
Introduction: Matoke, steamed and mashed green bananas, is Uganda's most iconic staple food and central to Buganda cultural identity, traditionally cooked wrapped in banana leaves over a slow fire.
Cultural Background: Matoke, steamed and mashed green bananas, is Uganda's most iconic staple food and central to Buganda cultural identity, traditionally cooked wrapped in banana leaves over a slow fire. Served with a rich, nutty groundnut sauce, it is the dish most Ugandans consider a proper, complete meal.
Tips: Steaming the bananas whole and wrapped, rather than boiling them, keeps them from becoming waterlogged. Stir the groundnut sauce frequently as it thickens, since it can catch and burn on the base of the pan.
Variations: Add dried smoked fish to the groundnut sauce for extra depth. Serve with a side of steamed greens such as dodo or nakati. Naturally vegetarian as written. Naturally vegan as written; contains no animal products.
Storage: Refrigerate matoke and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat both by steaming or in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water for 8-10 minutes.
FAQs:
Q: Can matoke be boiled instead of steamed?
A: It can, but steaming is the traditional method and gives a drier, fluffier texture rather than a watery one.
Q: Is groundnut sauce the same as peanut sauce?
A: Yes, it is made from ground raw peanuts (groundnuts) simmered into a thick, savoury sauce.
- Green bananas (matoke), peeled — 10
- Banana leaves, for steaming (or foil) — 4-5
- Raw groundnuts (peanuts), ground — 250 g (1 3/4 cups)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Tomatoes, chopped — 2
- Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
- Water — 600 ml (2 1/2 cups)
- Fine salt — 1 1/2 tsp
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