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Tanzanian

Ndizi nyama

Non-vegetarian

Green cooking bananas simmered with tender beef, tomato and gentle spices until the bananas soak up the sauce — creamy with coconut milk on the coast. Tanzanian comfort food.

Ndizi nyama is a Tanzanian stew, ready in about 1 hour 35 minutes and made with beef chuck and green cooking bananas (matoke). It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Total
1 h 35 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
593

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the beef in the water with half the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger and salt until tender; keep the broth.

  2. Step 2

    In another pan soften the onion (opens in a new tab) in the oil, add the remaining garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger, the turmeric (opens in a new tab) and curry powder (opens in a new tab), then the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and chilli; cook to a thick sauce.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Combine the sauce with the beef and broth, add the bananas and remaining salt and simmer until the bananas are tender but holding their shape.

    • 15 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the coconut milk (opens in a new tab) if using and heat through without boiling. Scatter with coriander.

    • 3 min
    • low heat
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Tanzania · Commonly attributedGreen-banana stews are central to cooking around Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria; similar dishes are eaten in Kenya and Uganda.Also popular in Kenya, UgandaMore food from Tanzania
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Simmered
Taste
savoury, mild, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · High-protein · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday
Cook more with
Beef chuck · Green cooking bananas (matoke) · Onion · Tomato · Garlic · Fresh ginger
Techniques
Simmering · Stewing

Allergens

  • May contain: Mustardfrom curry powder
  • May contain: Celeryfrom curry powder

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

593 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 681 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 60%
  • Fat 19%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy593 kcal87 kcal
Protein31.4 g4.6 g
Carbohydrate89.3 g13.1 g
Net carbohydrate82.4 g12.1 g
Sugars8.8 g1.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre6.9 g1 g
Fat12.9 g1.9 g
Saturated fat3.2 g0.5 g
Trans fat0.3 g0 g
Cholesterol——
Sodium989 mg145 mg
Salt equivalent2.5 g0.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1708 mg
Calcium
66 mg
Iron
5 mg
Magnesium
138 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
64 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coconut milk, coriander leaves.
  • Green cooking bananas (matoke): Raw green plantain (FDC 168215) used as a stand-in for East African highland cooking bananas, which are similar starchy green bananas.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Peel green bananas with oiled hands or gloves — the sap stains — and keep them in water until needed.

Common mistakes

  • Over-stirring breaks the bananas into mush.

Food safety

  • Simmer stewing beef, goat or lamb until fork-tender; cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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