Matoke – Popular Ugandan dish

Matoke is a banana variety that is indigenous to Uganda. They are shorter than regular bananas and are somewhat thicker at the mid section as a result. Due to the high starch content, the flesh of unripe matoke bananas is especially hard, so they need to be boiled, steamed, or roasted before consumption.

If the bananas are fully ripe, they can be consumed as normal fruit, but it is considered a waste since matoke is known as a green cooking banana. These bananas are typically mashed and paired with vegetable sauces, ground peanuts, or meat such as beef and goat, and the full dish is then also called matoke or matooke.