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How to prepare Matooke by steaming method - (Buganda traditional Dish):

Step 1 - Get some green banana "amatooke".


Step 2 - Peel off the skin with a knife and oiled hands to eliminate the sticky sap off your hands.


Step 3 - Place peeled bananas in pan with enough water to wash off the sticky sap.


Step 4 - Arrange bananas fibers and leaves in a basket "ekibo". Then place the washed bananas from step #3 on the banana leaves with the banana fiber underneath.


Step 5 - Then wrap the bananas in the banana leaves using banana fibers as shown in this step. This is like wrapping a gift in the ribbon.


Step 6 - The matooke mid-rib or main stem of the bunch is cut into small pieces and added to the bottom of the big saucepan with water. Then the wrapped bananas in step 5 is placed in this big saucepan. It is then covered around firmly with banana leaves. This method allows only the steam to get to the fruit banana so that the food is not watery or soggy.


Step 7 - After covering the bananas firmly and carefully, the big saucepan is placed on traditional cooking fireplace called "Amasiga". Alternatively, it can be prepared on a charcoal stove "Essigiri". It is left to steam/boil for about 60 - 80 minutes.


Step 8 - After it is cooked, the wrapped bananas are taken out from the hot big saucepan and placed in the basket "ekibo". The bananas are then mashed by pressing them carefully all round in the original banana leaves using bare hands.


Step 9 - After mashing it in step 8, the mashed bananas in banana leaves, at this point, it is referred to as "Omuwumbo", is put back in the big warm saucepan and covered again with the same banana leaves used before. It is put back on the fireplace and steamed on low fire for about 40 to 50 minutes - this process is called "okubobeeza etooke". After this process, it is ready to serve with any sauce.


Step 10 - After it is cooked, the peach colored banana becomes a gorgeous yellow color and ready to be served.


Step 11 - Matooke served with peanut "ebinyeebwa" sauce


Step 12 - Matooke can also be served with beef or chicken stew or peanut sauce prepared in a traditional way using banana leaves "Oluwombo"


Step 13 - Oluwombo.

The steaming method is healthy because there is no oil or extra fats used in this process - all the nutrients are retained in the food in their natural amount. Sauces to be served with the meal, like ebinyeebwa "peanut sauce", can be prepared through the same method; as well as chicken, beef or goat.