Katogo

Ingredients

• 6 green matooke bananas (or 6 firm green plantains)
• 400g cooked red kidney beans, drained
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 600ml water or bean cooking liquid
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 small bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Rub a little oil on your hands so the banana sap does not stain them black.
• Cut the ends off each matooke, score the skin lengthways in three places, and peel the skin away in strips.
• Cut each peeled banana into three chunks and drop them into a bowl of cold water.
• Chop the onion, garlic, tomatoes and green pepper.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 7 minutes until soft.
2. Add the garlic, curry powder and ground coriander and stir for 1 minute.
3. Tip in the tomatoes and green pepper and cook for 8 minutes until they collapse into a sauce.
4. Drain the banana chunks and add them to the pot, turning them through the sauce.
5. Pour in the water so the bananas are almost covered, then add the salt and pepper.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, cover it, and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add the drained beans and stir them in gently without breaking the bananas.
8. Cover again and cook for another 10 minutes.
9. Test a banana chunk with a knife, which should go in with no resistance and the flesh should look yellow rather than white.
10. Mash three or four of the banana chunks against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the sauce.
11. Taste and adjust the salt, then stir in the chopped coriander.
12. Serve hot in bowls with lemon wedges on the side.