In my opinion, nothing says comfort food like East-African matoke and beef stew. The meat, the rich sauce, the garnish, I am getting hungry, just thinking about it.
I first ate matoke as a child in the early 80's. My mother had decided that her primary school teaching income was not enough, so she started a side hustle, a kitenge fabric business to be specific, which she sourced from Uganda.
After tasting matoke in Uganda, she brought home everything she had learned about preparing it. Going back to our recipe, matoke is not only a staple in Uganda, but it is also widely eaten in Kenya and Tanzania.
ingredients you will need
- Beef cubes or stewing beef.
- Green bananas: Use firm, completely unripe green bananas. They hold their shape well as they cook and become tender without turning mushy.
- Ripe tomatoes.
- Tomato paste.
- Onion and garlic.
- Smoked or sweet paprika.
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cooking oil.
- Fresh coriander: to garnish.
can I use green plantains
Yes, green plantains are perfectly okay to use for this recipe.
peeling the green bananas
As a young woman, I hated peeling green bananas. Don't even get me started on the gooey sticky banana sap. I often wondered why my green bananas turned out dark, until I had the aha moment!
Well, that was until I learned how to prep them properly so I didn't end up with sticky sap all over my hands.
To prep, you want to start by oiling your hands. Ahem, with cooking oil, not Vaseline, lol! This prevents the sap from sticking to your hands or the knife.
Cut out the ends with a sharp knife. Once you have cut out the ends, cut a slit on the backside of the bananas. Slice along the length of the banana.
slicing and soaking the bananas
Now the next step is very important. Immediately place the banana chunks in a bowl of cold water with plenty of salt. You can also use a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
This prevents excessive oxidation and browning. It also helps remove some of the surface starch and the gummy texture.
Cut the green bananas into 3'' (about 7cm) thick chunks. You can also just cut them in the middle, crosswise.
Cut them too small, and they will end up as porridge, and we don't want that.
can I soak the peeled bananas in warm water?
I don't recommend it. Use cold water instead.
So forget what bestie told you, because warm water actually speeds up the enzymatic browning reaction, so this will works against you.
Cold water helps slow browning, keeping the bananas looking fresher while you finish prepping the rest.
what to serve with matoke
Because we already have our protein from the beef, and carbs from the matoke, all we need is some vegetables or some bread. I like to serve mine with some:-
easy African recipes you will love
- Kenyan Beef Stew
- Kashata Recipe
- Mbuzi Choma
- South African Oxtail
- Yassa Chicken
- Egusi Soup
- Kuku Choma
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📖 Recipe
Matoke with Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 lbs beef approx. 500g
- 4 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt use more or less, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper use more or less, to taste
- 5-6 green bananas
- a handful chopped fresh coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Cut off both ends of each green banana. Using a sharp knife, make a slit down the length of the peel, then peel away the skin.
- Immediately place the peeled bananas in a bowl or pot of cold salted water. (see note 1 below).
- Cut the bananas into to 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks. Set aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large pot. Add the beef and brown on all sides.
- Stir in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Pour in about ⅓ cup water if the pot feels too dry, then stir well.
- Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened.
- Pour in 1 cup of water, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender. If the beef is still tough, add a little more water and continue cooking until tender.
- Add the remaining 1½ cups of water, followed by the green banana chunks. Stir gently to coat them in the sauce.
- Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the bananas are tender. They should be soft enough to pierce easily with a fork but still hold their shape.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and black pepper if needed. If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in a little more water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve warm.
Notes
- Use firm, completely unripe green bananas.
- Placing the bananas in a bowl or pot of cold water helps prevent them from browning while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. You can also use cold water with a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Add some water during cooking if the stew becomes too dry.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5days.
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