How to Cook real Matoke (Umunyinjye)

Many Rwandans find preparing Matoke (Umunyinjye), very challenging yet the process is very interesting.

Friday, June 11, 2010
By Doreen Umutesi

Many Rwandans find preparing Matoke (Umunyinjye), very challenging yet the process is very interesting.

Below are easy steps that will guide anyone through the process:

• Peel the plantain bananas and put them in a clean saucepan.
• Lay the cut stalks of the banana leaves into a saucepan or pot.
• Pour relatively enough water into the saucepan or pot to cover the stalks.
• Lay a cross-section of dry banana fibers (Ibirere) in the saucepan or pot for making knots.
• Properly lay halved banana leaves (Amakoma) on top of the banana fibres.
• Pour the peeled plantains onto the banana leaves. 
• Cover the peeled bananas with its leaves and knot a bundle with the cross- section of banana fibers
 already in the saucepan.
• Wrap more banana leaves onto the bundle and place the saucepan on a charcoal stove or firewood   stove and steam until the matoke becomes tender.
• After about two hours remove the bundle from the stove and unwrap the top banana leaves, then get
 fresh banana leaves and use them to gently mash the cooked matoke.
• Lay afresh banana leaves into the same saucepan and gently put back the mashed matoke in the freshly
 laid banana leaves. Wrap more banana leaves on top and put the bundle back on the cooking stove
 for more steaming for another 30 minutes.
• Umunyinjye is best served and eaten when hot.


Ends