This week we’re sharing a recipe for Groundnut Sauce with Pocho and Matooke. This is a very common and widely enjoyed staple in Uganda, and we’re excited to share it with you so you can give it a try!
Groundnut Sauce is made from, well, groundnuts. They are a smaller version of a peanut that resemble and taste like a peanut, but are from a different legume family. G-nuts, as we call them in Uganda, are eaten as a snack, whipped up into g-nut butter, or made into a sauce and poured over the starchy staple of a meal, such as pocho or matooke. Pocho is finely ground white cornmeal made from maize that is widely grown throughout Africa. Matooke is a dish of boiled plantains, whole or mashed.
See the photos and recipes below for more detailed instructions and let us know what you think!
GROUNDNUT SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ½ ounces peanuts
- 2-3 cups water
- 1 tomato
- 1 onion
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Place shelled peanuts in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water and scrape the side of the bowl with a spatula.
Chop the tomatoes and onions coarsely. Place into a large saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the pureed peanuts and spices to the saucepan and stir well. Let mixture simmer, stirring continuously until it becomes a thick and creamy sauce, adding the remaining water as needed. Pour sauce over matooke or pocho (recipes below).
MATOOKE
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 plantains
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2-3 cups water
DIRECTIONS:
Peel the skin off of the plantains either with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Slice the plantains into 1 inch pieces and place them in a bowl with the lemon juice for 10-20 minutes. Rinse plantains and place in a pot with the water. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until plantains are tender. Drain extra water and serve plantains as is, or lightly mash together into a thicker consistency. Serve warm with groundnut sauce poured over the top.
POCHO
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS):
- 4 cups pocho or finely ground white cornmeal (the kind that is as finely ground as flour)
- 8 cups water
- Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly pour the corn flour into the water, mixing to avoid lumps from forming. Stir continuously for four to five minutes, until there are no longer any lumps and the corn flour has reached a mashed potato like consistency. Once mixture starts to congeal and pull away from the pot, take off the heat. Serve immediately with groundnut sauce poured over top of the pocho.