Maboke ya Ndeke — Print Recipe

Marinated chicken pieces wrapped in banana leaves with vegetables and spices, then steamed until tender and infused with aromatic leaf flavors. A festive Congolese preparation for special occasions.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 tomatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp palm oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 scotch bonnet pepper, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Banana leaves for wrapping

Instructions

1 Marinate chicken pieces with lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and palm oil. Let rest for twenty minutes to absorb the seasoning.
2 Soften banana leaves by briefly holding over a flame or dipping in hot water. Cut into large rectangles suitable for wrapping.
3 Place chicken pieces on banana leaves. Top with tomato slices, onion slices, scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
4 Wrap each portion tightly in banana leaves, folding the edges securely. Tie with kitchen string to create sealed cooking parcels.
5 Steam the parcels in a large pot for forty-five minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through and very tender.
6 Serve the parcels at the table still wrapped. The dramatic unwrapping releases fragrant steam and makes for an impressive presentation.

Did You Know?

In traditional Congolese villages, banana leaf parcels are sometimes buried in hot coals rather than steamed, creating an even more intense smoky flavor.