FOODVENTURE: ZIMBABWEAN DISH MUTAKURA

Welcome to the first episode of The Crux Foodventure where we talk about everything food from everywhere around the world. Our special dish in this episode is known as ‘Muktakura.’

For travelers wishing to explore Zimbabwe, whether the bustling capital of Harare or the majestic landscapes of Victoria Falls, it is a landlocked country in Southern Africa that’ll give you a culinary adventure you’ll enjoy.

The country is renowned for its nutritious traditional dishes, gotten from fruits, vegetables, and crops from its fertile and vast landscape, a feat which earned it the name, “breadbasket of Africa.”

Mutakura, is a healthy grain dish that combines together various pulses (groundnuts, peanuts, corn kernels, sugar beans, and black-eyed peas). The dish is believed to have originated from among the Shona people in Northern Zimbabwe. The dish likely originated from making use of abundant local crops like maize, peanut and beans.

Ingredients

1. Maize

2. Sugar beans

3. Groundnut

4. Cowpeas

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Soak the ingredients (cereals and legumes) overnight.

3. Boil the ingredients separately until tender.

4. Combine the ingredients together and then boil several hours or until it becomes soft.

5. It can thereafter be seasoned and served with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and chopped fresh chives or parsley if desired.

Mutakura has both carbohydrates and proteins which makes it a very nutritious meal. It is a versatile and popular dish, as it can be enjoyed as a main meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and also as a snack with a cup of tea or any drink.