Matapa

Matapa combines cassava leaves, ground peanuts and coconut milk. The Mozambique section of ACIAR’s The Good Cooks’ Journeys records a preparation in which the leaves are finely processed with garlic and cooked in water. Onion, coconut milk and ground peanuts are added before the mixture finishes simmering. The section follows chef Paul West’s visit to farming communities near Maputo.^[1]

That recipe serves matapa with xima, a firm maize porridge prepared separately. The greens and their sauce form the accompaniment to the porridge. Seafood also appears in named versions: Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort lists prawn matapa among the dishes in its Mozambique cooking-class menu. Its menu also offers shima as a side dish.^[1][2]