Tag: green bananas

Green Banana Cutlets.

On By WanjoroIn Recipes1 Comment

Green bananas aka “matoke” as they are known here are available in Kampala in plenty. While many here prefer them steamed and mashed, there are many other meals one can make with them. You can make them into a porridge, like we did here. Bake them, deep fry them, make a yummy breakfast dish or even stew them.

This time round I steamed them whole, let them cool a bit, then peeled and mashed them into cigar like rolls. Next, I pan fried them in butter and a pinch of mixed herbs to get a delicious taste that one cannot believe is green bananas.

Let us get started. You will need:-

  • A small bunch of green bananas, about 9 pieces if small, or 5 large.
  • 1 tsp freshly ground mixed spice blend -I used one that had ground sea salt, pepper, sesame seeds, fennel, cloves, coriander, star anise, onion and ginger.
  • 1/2 cup of cornflour. This makes them crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy inside.
  • 1/4 tsp of ground turmeric.
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs.
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter.

Method.

Wash the bananas and boil them whole for about 20 minutes, till soft. They will blacken a bit.

Drain and cool them. Peel and mash them together with the spices, cornflour and oil, then shape them into little cigar like rolls.

Heat your pan and add the butter, I like adding a bit of oil too so the butter doesn’t brown too fast.

Add the rolls in batches and pan fry till they are a golden brown colour on medium heat.

They smell and taste amazing. You can have them as a snack or with greens on the side, whatever tickles your fancy.

We had ours with sautéed greens and bacon. I will post the recipe for it soon too.

Colourful, delicious, filling and easy to make. Definitely worth a try.

Keep it here for this and more simple family friendly recipes using what is on hand, as well as titbits about our experiences as a family here in Kampala.

I would also like to thank you all for stopping by, sharing and subscribing to this blog, as well as those who take the time to try out my recipes and give me feedback. I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me.

Love and Light.

Wanjoro.

New recipe coming soon. A new twist on Matoke and greens.

On By WanjoroIn RecipesLeave a comment
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New recipe coming soon. A new twist on Matoke and greens.

Stewed Matooke with Chicken.

On By WanjoroIn Recipes, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This is a simple, tasty and hearty one pot meal that doesn’t take too long to make, but will leave you deliciously satisfied.

Ingredients needed: 1 small bunch of green bananas, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp tomato paste, about half a kilo of boneless chicken, one large grated onion, one large grated tomato, 1 green pepper, grated too. Spices are 1 tbsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:-

Peel your green bananas and keep them submerged in a bowl of water so they do not turn black. You can slice them into twos or thirds, depending on how big you want them.

Chop your chicken breast into small pieces and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Let it get really hot. Sear the chicken fast till it’s brown on the sides and set aside.

The chicken doesn’t have to cook through. Just browned is fine.

In the same pan, add the cumin seeds, then the ginger garlic paste. Mix well then add the grated onion. Let it cook till it starts to brown then add the grated green pepper and coriander stalks.

Mix well and let cook a while.

Add the spices and let them cook well then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and a splash of water. Let them simmer till they soften and cook through.

The tomatoes will cook down to a thick sauce.
Add the chicken and mix well.
Add the green bananas and mix well.
Add some water to just slightly above the mix. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes till the matoke is cooked but not mushy. Do not forget to check the seasoning.
Add the chopped coriander. It’s now ready to serve.
It is tasty, colourful and filling.

It makes a perfect weekday meal as it doesn’t take too long to put together and uses one pot.

It is a healthy meal, delicious and filling, and the kids will love it too. Definitely worth a try.

Crispy Matoke Wedges.

On By WanjoroIn Recipes, Things I love about Kampala1 Comment

Remember these beautiful green bananas I had shared some time ago?

Look at the size of that matoke!

They came from one of the banana plants here in the compound and I have been thinking of different ways to use them up before they ripen.

This time round I decided to deep fry them. Not too healthy but it is ok once in a while right? This is a very straight forward recipe similar to the way I make vegetable pakora and I eyeballed the measurements.

For the batter, I used chickpea flour, rice flour, paprika, a pinch of cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mixed herbs. I did not add any water to the flour mixture.

Tip: Peel your green bananas under running water to avoid the sticky sap that’s hard to get off your hands.

Once peeled and cleaned, slice them into wedges, then add the wedges to the flour mixture and mix well.

The banana wedges will be moist as they were peeled under running water, so the wetness will make the spiced flour mixture stick to the wedges. If its too dry, you can add a little water. A little.

Deep fry them in batches till crispy and golden brown.

The fresher the green bananas, the better the flavour.
They are crispy, delicious and have an amazing aroma. It will be hard to resist to munch on them as you finish cooking.
Very tasty.

I served this with a simple kachumbari salad of grated carrot, red onion, coriander, tomato, salt, pepper and a pinch of chaat masala.

This is a perfect dish for a quick dinner, great for the kids’ lunchboxes or even as a crunchy and filling snack.

Final plate: Crispy green banana wedges, baked lentil balls and salad.

The baked lentil balls were from leftover boiled toor dal which I mashed with mixed spices, salt and pepper and baked in a 200°C oven for 20 minutes.

Toor dal balls ready for the oven, just spray some olive oil before baking them.

They were also great for leftover lunch with beetroot pilau and a simple salad.

What a colourful and tasty plate!

I have been enjoying thinking up, searching for and adjusting various green banana recipes, which are all up here on the blog already.

From mashing them up for a matoke cottage pie dinner, steaming them with groundnut sauce, making tasty breakfast porridge, stewing them, baking them as fries or a pan fry, making them into crisps or as a curry, the possibilities with this fibre rich starchy fruit are endless.

Green bananas are tasty, filling, nutritious and quite versatile, all the recipes are worth a try!

Delicious Green Banana Porridge.

On By WanjoroIn Recipes, Things I love about Kampala6 Comments

I’ve been on a roll with green banana (matoke) recipes in recent days.

We grow green bananas back home too but they don’t taste as good as the ones here in Uganda. Wait, have I become biased? Just maybe.

Are they not beautiful?

I already have several green banana aka matoke recipes here on the blog so this is another tasty addition you can add to your breakfast recipe line up. This porridge is easy to make, delicious, healthy and filling.

Tip: Please ensure your bananas are still green and firm. We’re making porridge, not a smoothie 🤪

I’m really bad with quantities when it comes to porridge but this was enough for 4 hearty bowls.

Peel 3 large green bananas. Chop / slice them and put them in your blender.

Blend them with a cup of water…
They blend pretty easily. Then add to your sauce pan with some more water, but not too much.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat. It thickens as it simmers so keep stirring so it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.

Add a cup of coconut milk/ cream as well as a cinnamon stick to enhance flavour. Let it simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Add water if it’s too thick and remember to keep a close eye and stir so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

When it’s ready, ladle into your bowl and garnish.

I garnished with chia, honey and a small dollop of peanut butter. It was so tasty the kids asked for seconds.

Try it and let me know how it turns out!