What is for snack today? Baked green bananas and hot tamarind sauce. Woo! You should try this. Please visit African food markets, I know you will get green bananas (Not Plantain please). These are regular bananas while still green.
I have been in the moods of tamarind lately; I do use a lot of tamarind in my house, and once a while when I get Green bananas from my local store, I would bake the bananas and eat with tamarind sauce.
Many regions of Tanzania eat green bananas, but it is a staple food for people who come from Moshi, Arusha and Bukoba reagion. When you visit a bar while in Dar-es Salaam, do not forget to order baked green bananas with your beer, it is part of the culture. In family homes, majority would eat baked green bananas as side dish, or snack with hot sauces but hot tamarind is my favorite. Here is the recipe quick and simple.
Baked green bananas
•Heat your oven at about 400 - 450F. (I would recommend to use a charcoal BBQ grill instead)
•Peel the bananas. And bake them for half an hour or until cooked.
•To know if the bananas are cooked, press with one finger; if still hard then it’s not ready.
Hot tamarind sauce.
•1/2 cup Natural tamarind paste,
•Salt
•1 tsp hot peppers (reduce amount of pepper if you can’t handle spicy food)
•Water (if needed)
If you are in Tanzania, make tamarind paste by soaking about 2 cups of tamarind with half cup or less of water (keep turning every time). When tamarind has softened, squeeze with your hands until you get a heavy paste.
•Mix all the ingredients, add water if the paste is too heavy.
•Serve with baked bananas and a beer or wine.
SWAHILI
Bado nipo, nilikumbwa na kazi kidogo. Nimeamua kuweka mapishi ya ukwaju siku hizi. Napenda sana ukwaju, na kusema ukweli, kuna mapishi mengi sana ya ukwaju.
Waafrika mashariki wengi mnajua ndizi za kuchoma, lakini umejaribu kula na ukwaju wa pilipili? Sasa lazima ujaribu, ni kitafunio kizuri sana. Nategemea waswahili wenzangu wote mnajua kuchoma ndizi. Nitaweka maelezo ya ukwaju wa Pilipili peke yake.
Choma ndizi zako, wakati ndizi zinaiva tengeneza ukwaju.
Ukwaju wa Pilipili
•1/2kikombe Rojo ya ukwaju.
•Chumvi utakavyo
•Kijiko cha chai Pilipili kichaa au mbuzi(katakata vipande vidogo vidogo)
Kama unatumia ukwaju halisi, pima kama vikombe viwili vya ukwaju, changanya na nusu kikombe cha maji. Weka pembeni ili ukwaju ulainike kidogo. Usisahau kugeza mara mojamoja. Ukwaju ukisha lainika, minya minya ili uweze kutengeneza rojo nzito.
•Changanya viungo vyote. Kama unatumia rojo ya makopo, unaweza kuongeza maji ili iwe laini kidogo.
•kula na ndizi za kuchoma, usisahau beer au wine.
December 17th, 2006
Maji ya ukwaju yananikumbusha maisha yangu nilipokuwa mtoto Dar es salaam. Kuna ukwaju mwingi sana Tanzania, lakini nilisikitika nilipotembelea Nyumbani December 2005, Niliona ukwaju mwingi karibu unaharibika katika soko letu kuu la Kariakoo Dar es salaam. Nilikuwa na hamu ya kuubeba ukwaju wote nije nao Umarekani.
Maji ya ukwaju, si sawa na maji ya matunda ya aina nyingine, kwa sababu ukionja kidoko, utapata hamu ya kumaliza jagi lote. Hiyo huwa inanitokea sana. Mbinu ninayotumia ni kuweka barafu nyingi! Tafathali usinunue maji ya ukwaju yaliyotengenezwa kuwandani, hayana utamu kama yaku tengeneza nyumbani.
Kama hujui kutengeneza maji ya ukwaju usiwe na wasiwasi. Ni rahisi. Kwa wale wanaokaa nchi za nje: Nunua ukwaju uliopondwa kwenye maduka ya Kithai, Afrika au ya kihindi. Hakikisha kwenye chupa wameandika natural au haina chumvi. Bonyeza hapa kupata viungo.
Mawazo kutoka kwa Maitha wa blogu ya Mawazo na Mawaitha
Alivyonitumia mapishi yake ya chatne ya ukwaju, Maitha alinieleza kuwa anapenda kuchanganya maji ya maembe na maji ya ukwaju.Nikajaribu na nikaipenda sana. Alisema anapenda kuchanganya kwa sababu wakati mwingine maji ya maembe yanakuwa matamu sana, anaona utamu unakamilika akiongeza kidogo maji ya ukwaju. Usisahau kujaribu hii, ni tamu sana. Asante sana kaka Maitha kwa maelezo haya, Nampa heshima kaka yeyote wa Kiafirika ambae haogopi kuonyesha kama anaweza kuchanganya vitu mwenyewe jikoni kwake. Sifa nyingi kwako, nategemea wengine watafuata.
ENGLISH
Tamarind Juice reminds me of my childhood in Dar Es Salaam. There is a lot of tamarind in Tanzania, but I felt sad when I visited Dar Es Salaam December 2005, I saw a lot of tamarind at our famous and historic market Kariakoo, Dar Es Salaam. I wished I could carry all those sacks with me to America.
Tamarind juice is one of those drinks that when you take one sip, you can not stop until the whole jug is finished. That always happens to me. The trick I use is to put lots of ice! Please do not buy bottled tamarind juice; it does not taste the same.
If you do not know how to make Tamarind juices, do not worry, it is easy. For those who live in Western countries: Buy natural tamarind paste from international store. I am sure you will get the paste from any African, Thai or Indian grocery store. Make sure it says on the label “natural” or no salt added. Click here for the ingredients.
Tip from Maitha of Mawazo na mawaitha blog.
When Maitha sent me the recipe of tamarind chutney, he also gave me a tip on how he mixes mango juice and tamarind juice. I tried and I loved it. He likes to do that because sometimes mango juice can be very sweet, and tamarind helps to balance the taste. Do not forget to try this, it taste very good. Thank you again Maitha for your input, I do respect any African man who is not shy to show that he can manage on his own, in his kitchen! Power to you and I hope others will follow.
November 12th, 2006
ENGLISH
I promised to suggest a few products that I believe are good for Tanzanian recipes while abroad. Natural Tamarind Concentrate a Laxmi Brand. Natural tamarind concentrate taste like real tamarind. No chemicals, sugar or salt added which makes it good for Juices, and for cooking. I buy this at a nature store; you can ask a store near you to order for you, or visit www.hosindia.com. I have never had any contact with them so please if you are not satisfied with the product do not complain to me, I am suggesting what I prefer for my recipes.
House of Spices (India) Inc.
http://www.hosindia.com
SWAHILI
Anuani hii hapo juu ni anwani ya wanaoweza kukutumia Natural Tamarind Concentrate inayotengenezwa na Laxmi Brand.
Niliahidi kuongelea vitu vichache ambavyo ni vizuri kutumia kwenye mapishi ya Tanzania ukiwa nje. Natural Tamarind Concentrate inatengenezwa na Laxmi Brand, ina utamu wa ukwaju uliotoka mtini. Hawakuongeza kemikali, sukari au chumvi kwa hiyo ni mzuri kwa Kutengeneza juice na kupikia. Unaweza kuomba duka lolote wakuletee au tembelea www.hosindia.com. Lakini kama hautaipenda tafathali usinilalamikie, mimi sina uhusiano na Kampuni hii, nataka tu kuwaarifu viungo ninavyotumia katika mapishi yangu.
November 6th, 2006
