MATOKE AND FRENCH BEANS🤤

 I am sure that most of us have been stuffed with matoke while growing up; ama waru au malenge saa zingine zote zapikwa pamoja. Matoke is such a common children's meal to the extent that you find so many people 'outgrowing' it. As for me, I have loved matoke my entire life and seeing that there are so many ways of preparing the dish is just it for me. I have been able to eat those that are washed and boiled with the peels on, then you get to peel, unaweka chumvi and eat it. Maybe with tea au kitoweo chochote kama nyama ama  kuku, whatever you prefer. Then there's the mashed bananas which is also so interesting. 

But today, I wanted to go with stewed matoke accompanied with some french beans. Campus students are always looking for the easiest recipes cos we all know how hard it is to cook while you are living by yourself and trying your best to maintain your adult life; adulting is a scam. So the moment nilienda kwa sister yangu na nikaona kuna matoke I wouldn't pass on them since they are one of the easiest and fastest to cook delicacies. Ndizi kwa soko, I think the most it goes for is 3 for 20 bob. French beans in the medium size gorogoro kwa soko ni 50 bob.

PREP TIME: 15 min      COOKING TIME: 30 min       SERVES: 2

INGREDIENTS.

3 matoke (the bigger size)

1 red onion

2 tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1 green bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ginger

1/2 tablespoon of cumin

3 small peppers (chakula sio chakula bila pilipili)

Vegetable oil

For the french beans:

1 tablespoon margarine

A handful of french beans

METHOD.

Peel your matoke, slice them and put them in a bowl with water to prevent them from turning black. Where I come from the stickiness of the matoke is called vusandu. I'm  yet to know its English or Swahili name. So to prevent the vusandu from sticking on your palms and fingers while peeling the bananas, you can apply some cooking oil on your hands and on the knife, mafuta kidogo tu. Or you could put on a polythene bag on your hand.

Then in your sufuria that is on the fire add your vegetable oil, after its heated add your chopped onions, finely chopped ginger and garlic or if you want them minced. Once the onions turn brown and the garlic and ginger are fragrant add in your chopped tomatoes, pilipili and the spices then let those cook until the tomatoes zibondeke. This is close to 5 minutes.

Sasa ongeza matoke and stir for a while. Hatutaki supu majimaji so at this point you can add in your water little by little. Cover and let it simmer. Around 5 minutes before you take take the matoke off your stove, add in your sliced bell peppers. Or if you want them chopped, it all comes down to your preferences. Cover and let the hoho cook in the steam then take it off the stove.

For the french beans, wash them and put them on a pan then add in a little vegetable oil to shallow fry. Ensure to regulate your heat and pay attention. I got a bit distracted and some of my french beans got burnt. Add margarine 2 minutes before you take them off the stove.

And there you have it! Affordable, easy and above all a very satisfying meal. Na aroma je🔥!!!

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