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1
Peel the Bananas
15 Mins
No heat — room temperature
Cut off both ends of each banana, slit the skin lengthways with a sharp knife and pull it away in strips. Rinse the peeled bananas in cold water and set them aside. Work quickly and keep the peeled bananas covered with a damp cloth so they do not darken.
A shallow slit is enough — cut too deep and you lose good banana flesh with the skin.
Done when: Bananas are fully peeled, pale and firm, with no green skin left.
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2
Wrap in Banana Leaves
10 Mins
No heat — room temperature
Overlap two large banana leaves and lay the peeled bananas in the centre. Fold the leaves over them from the sides, then fold in the ends to make a tight parcel, and tie it with banana fibre or kitchen string. Set the parcel on the rack or stalk bed in the pot, above the water, and cover the pot with its lid.
The parcel must sit above the water, not in it — the bananas steam, they do not boil.
Done when: Parcel is snug and tied, sitting on the rack with water below it.
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3
Steam the Bananas
90 Mins
Gentle steam, ~95°C (203°F)
Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat so the pot steams steadily. Cover tightly and steam for 90 minutes, checking the water level every 30 minutes and topping up with boiling water so the pot never boils dry. The bananas are ready when they yield easily to a fork pressed through the leaf.
Keep a kettle of boiling water nearby — cold top-ups drop the temperature and slow the cooking.
Done when: Bananas are completely tender and yield easily when pressed.
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4
Mash While Hot
5 Mins
Off the heat, residual heat ~90°C (194°F)
Lift the parcel into a large bowl and open it carefully, watching for escaping steam. Mash the hot bananas thoroughly with a potato masher or a sturdy wooden spoon until smooth, pressing out every lump. The mash should be soft and hold together.
Mash while the bananas are hot — once they cool they stiffen and will never turn smooth.
Done when: Mash is smooth and lump-free, soft enough to shape with a spoon.
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5
Finish with Ghee & Onion
5 Mins
Medium heat, ~170°C (340°F)
Warm the ghee in a small pan, soften the sliced onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add the tomato and cook for 2 more minutes until it just softens. Fold this mixture and the salt through the hot mash so the flavour runs through the whole mound.
Do not brown the onion — it should soften and sweeten, not colour.
Done when: Mash is evenly flecked with onion and tomato and tastes seasoned throughout.
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6
Rewrap & Steam Again
20 Mins
Gentle steam, ~95°C (203°F)
Spoon the mash back into the centre of a fresh banana leaf, fold it into a neat parcel and return it to the pot over the steaming water. Cover and steam for 20 minutes more, then lift it out and rest it, still wrapped, for 5 minutes before serving.
This second steam is what gives matoke its famous soft, even texture.
Done when: Matoke is hot all the way through, soft and holding together in a mound.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Unwrap the matoke onto a warm serving plate and shape it into a smooth mound with the back of a wet spoon. Serve hot, with groundnut sauce or your favourite stew spooned alongside — never on top, so the mash stays fluffy.
Uganda
2h 30m
France
Vietnam