Ndiza Nyama is a beloved dish. Tanzania is famous for many things and it turns out they grow a lot of bananas too! One banana in particular is an important cooking banana called Mchare.
Although many types are grown the green mchare is used most often in the famous banana and meat stew recipe called Ndiza Nyama in Swahili.
To make Ndizi Nyama at home, you can use plantains which is the closest you will find to the cooking banana in Tanzania.
Bananas are extremely popular in Tanzania and you will see many vendors selling them on the sides of the road, all over the country.
Bananas are the principal source of dietary carbohydrates for over 30 million people in Africa. Most of these bananas are processed by cooking, boiling, frying, pounding, and juicing.
We enjoyed this delicious ndizi nyama while staying in a luxury camp on the Serengeti. Truly an unforgettable experience.
Did you know that Tanzania has protected 38 percent of its land with National parks. Perhaps this is the reason that it one of the best places on the planet to enjoy a safari. I highly recommend it if you ever get the opportunity.
If you would like to learn more be sure to check out "Our Journey to Tanzania".
You can also find more authentic recipes like Chips za Taro (Taro Chips), Maharge ya Nazi (Kidney beans in Coconut milk) and Kashata, a lovely peanut brittle snack or dessert.
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Ndizi Nyama (Bananas and Beef Stew)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 lb Beef Filet Chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 4 Plantains Green or yellow peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces
- 1 medium Onion, white Chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic Peeled and minced
- 2 Tomatoes diced
- 1 Carrot sliced
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 small bunch cilantro chopped for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat
- Add in onions and garlic and fry until golden
- Add in the beef and cook until browned
- Add in the carrots and chopped tomatoes.
- Add in about 2 cups of water. Stir well
- Add in salt and pepper to taste and cover until the stew is boiling
- Add in the plantains, stir well and continue to boil for another 10 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk to stew and stir well
- Reduce heat to simmer for another 5 minutes. If the plantains are tender, your Ndizi Nyama is ready to be served.
Notes
Nutrition