By ChicaMod.com
Ever wonder what is the obsession with Matooke the Uganda staple food? Well, I wont hold you any longer! Here is the spill!
Matooke is a Luganda word meaning banana (plantain) – It’s a food most cherished and prepared by mainly the Bantu tribes in Uganda for most, if not every meal. The word Mmere in Luganda as in several Bantu languages means food. But in Buganda, Mmere means Matooke (green bananas), the staple among the Baganda, or for most Ugandans for that matter.
There are different ways of preparation depending on flavor, taste and of course budget; for instance fried, roasted, chips and believe it or not, as a local alcoholic beverage –Tonto. Most people however, devour the steamed version; while we may enjoy the steamed version, only a small number of us really understand what an elaborate exercise it takes to prepare a 'good' Matooke meal, so here we go.
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The Preparation
Traditionally, Matooke is best cooked steamed.
1. Peel and Wrap
The matooke is green in color but when peeled, it turns peach in color and golden yellow when cooked.
My aunt always cautioned that before peeling Matooke, one had to kneel down making sure everything needed for the process was set! – uhhh! gone are the days!! (my apologies got carried away for a minute!).
Peeled Matooke fingers are placed into a pan and tied up into a bundle of banana leaves. Strips and chunks cut from the banana tree stem or cluster stem (locally known as ebikolokomba are used as a foundation at the bottom of the cooking pan so as to minimize water getting into the bundle of the Matooke; the goal is to have only the steam cook the Matooke. A particular measurement of water is added depending on the amount of food.
The dressed Matooke is placed in a pan, and then covered with more banana leaves. The reason why Banana leaves are wrapped on top of the pan when cooking the Matooke, is to give the food a delicious flavor. A previously used banana leaf is then used on top to keep the food in place and to keep the heat intact. The wrapped bananas are then cooked(steamed) for two or more hours;this entirely depends on the amount of food, heat applied or how tender you need the Matooke.
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2. The Mash
When ready, the Matooke is taken off the fire and then pressed together while still hot using the same banana leaves to protect the hands. (Hint: Get a bowl with cold water to dip in your hands while pressing to avoid burning your hands, I had to learn that otherwise you may not love cooking anymore). The Matooke is then wrapped and placed back on the fire for another hour, or so.
When pressed, the Matooke makes a smooth soft and golden yellow mash, served hot with all the banana leaves around to keep it hot plus your favorite stew
Matooke is best served with peanuts sauce – a mixture of ground nuts(peanuts) and smoked fish preferably catfish (Mukene) and sliver fish (Nkejje) and/or smoked meat. Other people find Matooke best with ground nuts sauce mixed with small mushrooms (butikko).
All in all alot of significance is still attached to Matooke preparing and eating it. A meal for Muganda is nothing without Matooke, the Mmere (food). The banana tree in itself is considered fundamental as all its parts are used in preparing the food; the stem for the lining of the pan, the leaves to steam the banana, the fiber to tie the banana.
Let us know what other variations you may have of making your favorite plantain meal
Photo Courtesy: mtlawson; myreflectionsfromUganda
