Matoke (Plantain)

Matoke Cooked in Milk

ingredients

• 20 plantains
• Milk (enough to cover)
• Salt & pepper

Peel the 15 matoke, cut into thick slices & wash. Put them into a pan, cover with milk & add seasoning.

Cook over a gentle heat for close to 30 min until tender. Serve hot with any delight.

Serves 5.

Steamed matoke with stewed chicken

Ingredients

• 8 plantains per person
• 1 whole roasting chicken
• 3 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 cupful flour
• 2 medium sized onions
• 1 cupful ghee
• Curry powder
• Salt & pepper
• 2 cupfuls water

Peel plantain & wash in cold water.

Using aluminum foil, tie up the plantain into a neat package secured with a clean piece of string. At the bottom of a large saucepan place a clean wooden stick as a support.

Cover with cold water.

Place a package of plantain on the support. Cover with another aluminum foil tucking the ends into the pan. Steam gently for about an hour.

Clean & cut chicken pieces & dip them into flour. Fry in hot ghee until golden brown.

Remove from the fan.

Slice onion & tomatoes & fry. Return the pieces of chicken into the pan. Add 2 cups of water & seasoning. Simmer until tender, fro about 30 min.

Remove package of matoke from the pan and place on a large plate. Press with hands at all sides of package until plantain becomes a soft mash.

Remove the aluminum foil and return to the pan and leave over a slow heat for about 30 min - 1 hr until the color is golden brown. Serve piping hot & to keep heat, cover with foil.

Remove chicken from pan & serve hot with matoke.

Serves 8.

NB:Plantain must not be allowed to ripen before cooking. Dish must be served hot as the matoke will become hard & unpalatable if allowed to cool.

Browned matoke

Ingredients

• 15 matoke
• 4 spoonfuls margarine
• 1 chopped onion
• Salt & pepper

Peel & wash, then boil the matoke until tender.

Melt margarine & fry chopped onions to golden brown. Add matoke into margarine and onion & break into small pieces using a spoon.

Add seasoning, mix well then cover pan with lid. Reduce heat & cook slowly for 15 min until browned.

Turn out into a deep dish & serve hot with any delight.

Serves 5.

Crispie matoke

Ingredients

• 15 steamed matoke
• 1 cupful melted margarine
• Little chopped groundnuts1 chopped onion
• Salt & pepper

Drain steamed matoke then place into melted margarine.

Roll each matoke in chopped groundnuts, sprinkle with seasoning, then cook on a baking tray in oven for about 20 min.

Serve hot.

Matoke cake sandwiches with minced meat

Ingredients

• 1 cupful mashed matoke
• 4 spoonfuls flour
• Salt & pepper

• 1 cupful minced meat
• 1 egg
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 slice crumbled bread
• Salt & pepper

Mix ingredients into a bowl. Turn out on to floured board and roll out flat. Cut into rounds, fry & keep warm.

Method for meat filling

Mix onion, crumbled bread & seasoning with egg.

Fry meat until ready then add to the mixture & keep stirring while cooking. Form into flat, round cake the same size as the matoke rounds.

Spread the mixture between 2 matoke cakes & serve hot.

Deep-fried matoke chips

Ingredients

• 3 matoke per person
• 2 cupfuls oil

Peel & wash matoke.

Cut into finger sizes & dry in a cloth. Heat oil in a strong deep frying pan until smoking hot.

Put chipped matoke into oil & cook for about 5 min until soft & pale brown.

Remove from pan & place on soft paper to drain away the oil.

Serve while hot.

Variations

Matoke straws are prepared in the same way as chips but cut into thinner sticks.

Matoke crisps are cut into very thin rounds.

Matoke with beans

Ingredients

• 6 matoke
• 6 spoonful beans
• 1 spoonful margarine
• Salt & pepper

Soak beans in water until soft, then drain & clean.

Peel & dice matoke & wash in cold water. Mix beans with matoke & cook in very little water until tender or until water dries up.

Add margarine & seasoning then mash. Heat & serve hot.

Serves 6.

Finger millet flour porridge

Ingredients

• 4 spoonfuls finger millet flour
• 1 spoonful sugar
• 1 cupful milk
• 1 cupful water

Blend flour gradually into water, using a little water at a time.

Add milk & bring to boil slowly, stirring frequently & gently using a strong pan. Add sugar & continue cooking for about 15 min.

Serve when ready.

Variations

Sour milk was traditionally used instead of fresh milk.Any kind of flour could be used instead of finger millet flour.

Water could be boiled first in a pan & flour mixed with milk & added to boiling water.Milk could be left out when cooking but added at table.

Serves 4.

African spinach in milk

Ingredients

• 1 bundle African spinach
• 2 spoonfuls cooking oil
• 1 medium sized chopped onion
• ½ cupful milk
• ½ cupful boiling water
• 2 spoonfuls margarine
• ½ teaspoon salt

Prepare & clean spinach, washing it in cold water, then drain. Put cup of boiling water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid & add salt & spinach.

Cover tightly & boil quickly for 20 min turning after 10 min. All the water should dry up.

Remove spinach from heat & take out of pot.

Heat oil in the pot & add onions.

Fry & keep turning until they're nicely cooked. Add spinach & turn it in hot oil for about 10 min, until onion is properly mixed.

Make sure the spinach does not burn.

Add milk & margarine & simmer for 2 min. Serve hot with any type of ugali or steamed plantain.

Variations

African spinach - any spinach kind can be used. Instead of milk, pounded groundnut paste could be added.

Milk or groundnut paste could be added without frying vegetable thus no need for oil/onions.

Spices could be added.