Home » Coated garlic flavoured Matemba (Kapenta)

Coated garlic flavoured Matemba (Kapenta)

Written by Published on in Fish, Meats, Traditional
6 Servings ~ 20 minutes
  • 250g Matemba (Kapenta)
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Oil for frying
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 2 cups boiling water

Growing up Matemba was one of my least favored foods. This is apart from the fact that it is one of the most readily available brain foods in our in our Zimbabwean context.  In other words, Kapenta promotes the good health and functioning of your brain.  After experimenting and trying out this recipe I can now somewhat withstand them and even like them I must add. The rewards of experimentation! You can really have this coated garlic flavored Matemba as a snack or as part of a main meal served with sadza and rape in white sauce.

Let’s get started!

Quick Instructions

  1. Gather  ingredients
  2. Put Matemba in bowl and add the boiling water. Leave them soaking for 15 min. After 15min drain.
  3. Put flour in bowl, add 1 tsp salt, tsp pepper, tsp mixed herbs and mix. Set-aside.
  4. Pat dry Matemba and working in batches dip them in egg and mix.
  5. Take set-aside flour and put in a flat wide plate. Take egg dipped Matemba and coat it with the flour. Heat oil in pan.
  6. Add garlic to oil and swirl. Add successive batches of coated Matemba and fry until golden brown.
  7. When golden brown remove from pan. Repeat until batches are finished. If eating Matemba as a snack, for presentation purposes  take one vegetable leaf and fry a minute on each side. Remove from pan and place your garlic coated Matemba on top. However of you want the leafy vegetable to be edible steam it for 2 min first and then fry it for another 2 min.
  8. Ready to serve!
Also see  Sweet Chilli Chicken Nuggets

Pictorial Detailed Instructions

 

Step 1 - Click to enlarge
Gather ingredients namely 250g Matemba (Kapenta) (a), 1 1/2 cups plain flour (b), 2 eggs and 2 cloves garlic (c) and mixed herbs, black pepper and oil (d). Boiled water and salt will also be required.

 

Step 2 - Click to enlarge
Put Matemba in bowl (a) and add the boiling water (b). Leave them soaking for 15 min(b). After 15min drain (d). This removes excess salt which Matemba usually has as a preservative.

 

Step 3 - Click to enlarge
Put flour in bowl, add 1 tsp salt (a), tsp pepper (b), tsp mixed herbs (c) and mix (d). Set-aside.

 

Step 4 - Click to enlarge
Pat dry Matemba (a) a& (b). Working in batches dip them in egg (c) and mix (d).

 

Step 5 - Click to enlarge
Take set-aside flour and put in a flat wide plate (a). Take egg dipped Matemba and coat it with the flour (b) & (c). Heat oil in pan (d).

 

Step 6 - Click and enlarge
Add garlic to oil (a) and swirl (b) this is done so that the oil takes on the garlic flavor hence the name Coated garlic flavored Matemba. Add successive batches of coated Matemba and fry (a) & (b) until golden brown.

 

Click to enlarge
When golden brown remove from pan (a). Repeat until batches are finished. If eating Matemba as a snack, for presentation purposes take one vegetable leaf and fry a minute on each side (c). Remove from pan and place your garlic coated Matemba on top (d). However of you want the leafy vegetable to be edible steam it for 2 min first and then fry it for another 2 min.

 

enjoy!
Enjoy as a snack or part of a bigger meal!

Great, please let me know how it goes in your kitchen. Leave a comment below!