Matoke Bhel- East African street food

I lived in East Africa for eight years of my life and I have very fond memories of the food there. Street food was something we loved and I have a very vivid memory of one such street vendor who used to daily serve the Matoke (green raw banana) right outside my school gates. It was a simple dish but as they say its simplicity at its best and sometimes uncomplicated dishes are the ones that have the greatest taste.

Coming to the Matoke Bhel, it was simply matoke boiled in their skins, the vendor would then fish them out of the simmering pan and peel and mash them into a tin dish. He would add lemon juice, salt, chilli powder and a dash of oil and mash it all together. The matoke mash was then transferred to a serving dish, it was topped with thin slivers of red onion, finely chopped chillies and a generous helping of a crunchy snack called chivda (a spicy fried beaten rice, potato crisps and peanut mixture). Finally it was finished with a garnish of finely chopped coriander leaves and served with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and more sprinkling of chilli powder for those who liked it spicy!!

The spicy tangy flavours and the crunch from the toppings made this streetfood snack the best thing I have ever tasted. I fact my mouth waters every time I think of it. I have tried to recreate this dish again in my kitchen and it was definitely the best thing I have eaten. I can't believe I waited so long to prepare this amazing streetfood snack.

Yield: serves 2Author: Nayna Kanabar

Matoke (Raw Green Banana) Bhel

African Street food boiled matoke flavoured with simple spices and garnished with onions, chillies and a crunchy savory snack topping.

prep time: 5 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 6 Matoke (Raw green banana)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons sun flower oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 springs of fresh coriander finely chopped
• 1 red chilli finely chopped
• 100 gram chivda (spicy snack)
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
• 1 small red onion finely sliced

Instructions

1. Place the matoke without peeling in to a large pan of water and boil for 20 minutes, you can see the matoke are ready when the skins start to split open.
2. Once the matoke is boiled remove from the pan and peel the skin off. Place it in a bowl and mash it with a potato masher.
3. Add salt, chili powder, lemon juice and the oil and mix well.
4. Transfer the seasoned matoke to two serving bowls and garnish with the onion slices, the chivda and the chopped coriander. Serve hot with extra lemon wedges.

NOTES:

If you dont have any chivda you can just add some potato chips scrunched and some roasted peanuts instead.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I am sending this recipe to an event hosted by Mirelle of The Schizo Chef to celebrate African Food week.

Other Diaspora Cuisine recipes:

Joloff Wheatberry Pilaf

Pav Bhaji- Indian Street Food

Pav Bhaji  is a delicious hot and spicy Indian street food, served piping hot by vendors in many Indian streets. It is a blend of vegetables cooked on a open griddle with  fragrant  and aromatics spices called bhaji .The spicy bhaji is served hot topped on top of a soft pav which are soft bread roll cut in half and buttered and then toasted. The pav bhaji is garnished with chutneys and onions and served a with a squeeze of lime juice and a chilli pepper if you dare. It is a perfect meal in one, Indian street food at its best.

I first tasted this delicious street food snack when I visited India some 10 years ago. Much to my hosts amusement, I had tears rolling down from my eyes from the spiciness of the bhaji but despite that I can still remember the amazing taste. I have recreated this awesome Indian street food although I have toned down the spice levels considerably.

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Pav Bhaji ~Indian Street Food

by Nayna Kanabar September-18-2016

It is a blend of vegetables cooked on a open griddle with fragrant and aromatics spices. The spicy bhaji is served hot topped on soft pav which are soft bread rolls cut in half and buttered and then toasted toasted .

Ingredients:

• 160g Potatoes finely diced
• 160g Frozen Peas coarsely ground in mixer
• 160g Carrots finely diced
• 160g Cauliflower grated
• 160g Aubergine peeled and grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Green chillies finely chopped
• 100 ml Tomato passata
• 1/2 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1.5 teaspoons Pav Bhaji Masala
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 small Red Onion thinly sliced for garnish
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 12 Soft white Bread rolls
• 1 tablespoon Sunflower spread
• 1 Lime cut into wedges
• 1 Red chilli thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs Fresh coriander finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Green coriander chutney
• 2 tablespoons Date and tamarind chutney

Method:

1. In a large steamer bowl add the diced potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, aubergines and coarsely ground peas. Steam all the vegetables for 20 minutes until well cooked.2. Mash all the steamed vegetables using a potato masher.3. In a pan add the olive oil and heat it, add to the the garlic and saute for a few seconds, next add the ginger and finely chopped chillies and the passata.3. Add the salt chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and cook the tomato mixture until all the spices infuse into the tomatoes.4. Add the mashed vegetables together with 60 ml of water and mix all the tomato spice mixture thoroughly into the vegetables. Cook the vegetables on a low heat mixing intermittently for about 10 minutes until the spices are well infused into the vegetables and they have broken down fully.The mixture should not be totally dry.5. Take the mixture ff the heat and garnish with the chopped coriander.6. To serve the pav bhaji cut the bread rolls in half and butter them with the sunflower spread. Heat a griddle pan and when it is hot add the bread rolls buttered side down so that the bread starts to toast and you get a lovely caremelised buttery flavour to the rolls.7. Remove the bread rolls from the griddle and place them on a serving plate. Top the Pav (toasted bread rolls) with the bhaji(the vegetable mixture) and garnish with the thin onion slices, chutneys, and red chillies.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: Serves 6

Tips: You can make the chutneys from my recipe posts below:
Tamarind Chutney
Green Coriander Chutney. These chutneys are also available ready bottled in most Asian supermarkets and also world food section in all large super markets.

The Pav Bhaji Masala is available in most Asian Super Markets and it is an essential part of the recipe to give it the authentic street food taste.