Gluten freeNdizi nyama
Green banana and beef stew
Ndizi nyama: Arusha and Kilimanjaro stew of green cooking bananas and beef with a splash of coconut
Ask someone from Arusha or Moshi for their favourite home dish and ndizi nyama comes up again and again: green cooking bananas and chunks of beef stewed together in one pot with onion and tomato until the bananas soak up the meaty juices. The bananas soften to something between potato and plantain, a few break down and thicken the sauce naturally, and a little coconut milk at the end, common in Dar and on the coast, rounds it off. It is a complete meal in a bowl, though a side of mchicha or kachumbari is welcome. The usual mistake is adding the bananas too early, so they turn to mush before the beef is tender. Chef's tip: cook the beef almost all the way first, then give the bananas the last 20 minutes only.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 480 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb stewing beef (chuck or shin)cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionschopped
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 ripe tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 8 green cooking bananas (matoke)about 1 kg; peeled and cut into 4 cm pieces, kept in water
- ¾ cup coconut milk (optional)
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb stewing beef (chuck or shin) in a heavy pot with ¾ tsp salt and 600 ml water. Bring to the boil, skim, then cover and simmer over a low heat until the beef is nearly tender.
35 minStep 2: Lift out the beef and pour the broth into a jug. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in the pot over a medium-high heat and brown the beef lightly.
4 minStep 4: Stir in 3 ripe tomatoes and 1 tsp mild curry powder and cook until the tomatoes collapse and the oil separates.
4 minStep 5: Drain 8 green cooking bananas (matoke) and add them to the pot with the rest of ¾ tsp salt and enough of the beef broth to come about two-thirds of the way up. Cover and simmer over a medium-low heat, shaking the pot now and then, until the bananas are tender and a few at the edges have broken down into the sauce.
18 minStep 6: Stir in ¾ cup coconut milk if using and heat gently for 2 minutes without boiling. Taste for salt, scatter over 1 handful fresh coriander if using and serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ndizi nyama take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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