Jump to Recipe or you could Print Recipe Today is another day that I get to share with you yet another one of my matoke (green bananas) recipes. This time I have the pleasure of presenting my ndizi mbichi na nyama ya ng’ombe dish!
Before we proceed, just in case you did not know, I also have matoke in coconut milk, or these matoke balls filled with minced meat (mofongo) up on my site. Try them, no disappointments, guaranteed, promise! 
How to ensure that your ndizi mbichi (matoke) turns out perfect!
- Buy the ones that are completely raw. Even if they are slightly ripened they will mush up very quickly once you put them in the sufuria to cook.
- In this recipe I added my vegetables towards the end because I prefer to have their crunch balancing out the matoke softness. However, if you are not such a huge fan of the crunch like me then by all means start by adding the vegetables before the matoke to give them a head start.
- Use beef that is on bone because it’s so much more flavourful. The bones add a richer flavour. Boil the beef before you start cooking the matoke and make sure to use the stock from the pre-boiled beef, instead of water, to intensify the flavours.
- Be very gentle when stirring your matoke because they go from firm to soft in a second. You do not want a mushy dish, well, unless you are preparing it for a baby.
Below is a video on how I went about preparing this epic meal or you could just go directly below it for the written ingredients and instructions.
Ingredients
- 11 Matoke
- 1 kg Beef on bone – cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 Large red onion
- 2 Large tomatoes
- 1 Tbs ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup 1/2″ diced carrots
- 1 Medium sized green hoho (green bell pepper)
- 1 Medium sized red hoho (red bell pepper)
- 1 Tbsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Dry bay leaf
- 2 Tbs Sunfolwer oil (or any neutral flavoured oil)
- 150 ml Thick coconut cream
- 1 Chilli beef bullion
- Salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Bunch of dhania leaves
Directions
- Add sunflower oil to your pan and let it come to temperature. It should be medium hot so that when you add the cumin and black mustard seeds they will just start popping. It’s also advisable to cover the sufuria with a lid to prevent any accidents, like let’s say one of those hot seeds popping into your eye… OUCH!!!
- Add the finely diced onions at this point along with the curry powder. It’s always best to add the curry powder at this point because it helps to bloom its flavour. If you have never tried it this way, I encourage you to go ahead and give it a try. Best decision you will ever make, at least in as far as curry powder is concerned
- Once the onions start turning brown add the ginger garlic paste. Cook it for about a minute or two and by this time the onions will have turned a nice golden brown colour.
- Dice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the sufuria. Stir and make sure that everything is well mixed together.
- Add turmeric powder. I love the bright golden yellow colour it adds to the matoke. They become that much more appetizing to look at. Turmeric also adds a nice flavour to the meal, but, be careful not to over do it because it will alter the flavour dynamics of the dish.
- Now’s the time for the chilli beef bullion. It comes with a slight zing that awakens and tingles your taste buds. If this is not your thing you could totally omit it or get a plain one. Break it down with your spatula to incorporate it fully into the matoke.
- Add the dry bay leaf now. It will perfume the dish so beautifully. Cover and leave to simmer for about five minutes. Reduce the heat because we want to cook the tomatoes slow and gentle. This will allow them to soften, break down and release their juices.
- This is the best time to add the pre-boiled beef. Add all of it, bones included.
- Crack black pepper directly into the beef. More potency this way. To this add some of the beef stock, just enough to cover the top of it without drowning it. Cover and leave to simmer for about ten minutes for the beef to pick up all the flavours in the sufuria.
- Add the matoke now. I normally like to cut up mine into halves because the huge chunks give me more control whilst cooking. Small ones will soften so fast, turning in to a mushy mess within minutes.
- Mix and make sure that all the matoke is covered with the contents of the sufuria.
- Add just enough of the beef stock to ensure that the matoke cooks without completely being submerged. One rule of cooking these ndizi mbichi is to ensure that you only use the required amount of cooking liquid because this will ensure that the flavours remain as concentrated as possible. Cover and leave to simmer for about five minutes.
- Uncover the sufuria and then add carrots that have been diced into about 1/2 inch sizes. I love them having a crunch and that’s why I add them at this point.
- Next add the coconut cream and then try to incorporate it very very gently, into the dish, to minimize how much you’ll end up breaking the matoke. Note that by this time the matoke has already started softening. Cover and simmer for about five minutes for the coconut cream to cook.
- Add the coloured hohos.
- Add the blanched green garden peas and then mix everything in. Use an extremely gentle touch. The matoke at this point are very delicate. Cover again and leave to simmer for about three minutes for the hohos to soften while still retaining their crunch and for the peas to warm through.
- Finally add the dhania leaves and turn off the heat.
- Serve and ENJOY!!!
Ndizi Mbichi (Matoke) na Nyama ya Ng'ombe | Matoke With Beef
Ndizi mbichi (matoke) na nyama ya ng'ombe or matoke with beef is a Kenyan dish (and most of the African continent). This dish also has vegetables like hoho (bell peppers), green garden peas and carrots. It's also spicy with a tropical flavour courtesy of the coconut cream.
Ingredients
- 12 Matoke - should be completely raw
- 1 kg Beef on bone - Should be pre- boiled and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 Large red onion - finely diced
- 2 Large tomatoes
- 1 Tbs ginger garlic paste
- 1 Medium sized green hoho (green bell pepper) - cored and diced into 1/2" cubes
- 1 Medium sized red hoho (red bell pepper) - cored and diced into 1/2" cubes
- 1 Tbsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Dry bay leaf
- 2 Tbs Sunflower oil - or any neutral flavoured oil
- 150 ml Thick coconut cream
- 1 Chilli beef bullion - you could use a plain one or leave it out altogether
- Salt - to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper - to taste
- Bunch of dhania (coriander) leaves
- 1 cup of 1/2" inch carrot cubes
- 1 cup Green garden peas - blanch them first
Instructions
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Add sunflower oil to your pan and let it come to temperature
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Add the finely diced red onions and the curry powder - mix well. Cook until the onions start turning brown at the edges.
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Add the ginger garlic paste then cook it for about a minute until fragrant.
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Next, add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli beef bullion, the dry bay leaf, freshly cracked black pepper and the pre-boiled beef.
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Then, add enough beef stock to just cover the top of the beef, stir everything together, cover sufuria and leave to simmer for about ten minutes.
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Add the matoke with just enough of the beef stock to ensure that the matoke cooks without completely being submerged. Simmer for about five minutes.
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Add the carrots and coconut cream at once then cover and leave to simmer for about five minutes.
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Add the coloured hohos along with the blanched green garden peas, mix everything in. Use an extremely gentle touch. Simmer for about three minutes until the hohos just start softening.
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Finally add the dhania leaves and turn off the heat
SERVING
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This can be a stand alone dish as is because it is very filling. If you wish to add an accompaniment then try rice or chapati.
I will definitely try this.
Thank you, tell me how you find it, Enjoy!!