Ugandan Matoke (Spicy Green Banana Mash)

Step 1

In a large, non-stick pan, melt the butter. Add the cumin seeds and chopped onions. Sauté the onions over a medium heat until lightly golden, about 8 minutes.

Step 2

Add the garlic, chillies and concentrated tomatoe purée and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Step 3

Next, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 4

Top and tail the Matoke. Cut each one in half and slit the skin of each half lengthways. Pop these into a pressure cooker and fill with 500ml water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and then switch off the heat. If you don’t have a pressure cooker you’ll need to boil the Matoke in a big pan of water with a lid until tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

Allow the Matoke to cool until you can just about handle them. They need to be hot. This is really important. If you let them cool down too much they will become super starchy and be hard to mash, leaving you with a lumpy finish. Peel the Matoke and mash them with a potato masher until smooth.

Step 6

Add the mashed Matoke to the tomato and onion mixture and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring all the time. The butter should start to separate from the Matoke at the sides of the pan. Now add the cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, black pepper and chopped coriander and mix thoroughly.

Step 7

Serve immediately with hot Chapos (chapattis).