Matooke (Ugandan Plantains and Peanut Sauce)
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce (called Ground Nut Sauce in Uganda):
½ cup crushed peanuts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups of water
1 onion finely chopped
½ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of small diced mushrooms
Optional: ½ cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup diced eggplant
Matooke:
8 to 10 fresh plantains
Juice of one large lemon (optional)
1 medium-sized white or yellow onion, peeled and rough chopped
2 large, or 3 medium-sized tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and rough chopped
4 or 5 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (optional)
1 chili pepper, chopped fine (optional)
Salt, to taste 1or 1 1/2 tablespoon
Instructions
Ground Nut Sauce:
Put crushed peanuts in a pan. Slowly add and stir in the cool water for about 2 minutes. After stirring, put over medium heat and stir continuously for 10-13 minutes. Add onion, oil, mushrooms and salt (optional: add tomatoes and eggplant). Stir thoroughly. Continue stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low boil. Cook for 15 more minutes until sauce is thickened to liking.
Plantains without Ground Nut Sauce
Peel your plantains, and then crosscut them into small chunks, wash them and then set aside.
Add vegan butter or cooking oil in to a pan and fry the tomatoes, onion, and garlic together, stirring.
Add spices to taste, and then add chunks of plantains and water. Continue to cook, stirring. until everything starts to boil.
Reduce heat to just a lively simmer. Add salt.
Cover the skillet and gently cook until the plantains are very soft.
Serve your Ugandan Matooke right away, while nice and hot.
Plantains with Ground Nut Sauce
Peel your plantains, and then crosscut them into small chunks, wash them and then set aside.
Add crushed peanuts in a pan. Slowly add and stir in the cool water for about 2 minutes.
After stirring, put over medium heat and stir continuously for 10-13 minutes.
Add onion, oil, mushrooms and salt (optional: add tomatoes and eggplant). Stir thoroughly. Continue stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low boil. Cook for 15 more minutes until sauce is thickened to liking.
Add the plantain chunks, reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until plantains are tender.
Serve your Ugandan Matooke right away, while nice and hot.
Serves 4-6
