Chagga Mash · Banana & Beans
Kiburu
Photo: Mwaride / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
The magadi is added to neutralise the acidity of the bananas and beans and to help them soften into a smooth mash.
Green bananas and beans are boiled together and pounded into a single soft, mildly sour mash, its pale greenish color often coming from a pinch of magadi. It's a Chagga dish traditionally served at funerals, weddings and other gatherings around Kilimanjaro and Arusha.
Why it's made this way: Combining a starch and a protein into one pounded dish reflects an efficient, communal style of highland Chagga cooking meant to feed large gatherings from simple, home-grown ingredients.
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