Maboke ya Mbika — Print Recipe

Ground pumpkin seeds mixed with vegetables and spices, wrapped tightly in banana leaves and steamed until firm and fragrant. This traditional Congolese delicacy showcases the art of banana leaf cooking.

Ingredients

300g pumpkin seeds, shelled
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced
2 tbsp palm oil
1 tsp salt
Fresh basil leaves
Banana leaves for wrapping
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1 Dry roast pumpkin seeds in a skillet for five minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly before grinding into a thick paste in a mortar or food processor.
2 Combine the pumpkin seed paste with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, palm oil, salt, pepper, and torn basil leaves. Mix thoroughly.
3 Soften banana leaves by briefly passing them over an open flame or dipping in hot water. This makes them pliable enough to fold without tearing.
4 Place generous spoonfuls of the pumpkin seed mixture onto each banana leaf. Fold the leaves tightly into neat rectangular parcels and tie securely with kitchen string.
5 Steam the wrapped parcels in a steamer pot for thirty-five minutes until the filling is firm and cooked through, infused with the subtle aroma of banana leaf.
6 Unwrap at the table to release the aromatic steam. Serve alongside grilled fish or chicken as a rich, protein-packed side dish.

Did You Know?

Mbika paste wrapped in banana leaves can be found in every major market in Brazzaville, where vendors prepare them fresh each morning in enormous steaming pots.