Comoros | Stew

Mataba

Mataba is a stew with cassava leaves, coconut milk and fish. Serve

Country
Comoros
Region
East Africa
Time
95 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Start cooking Explore Comoros recipes
01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to methodMy cookbook

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Comoros
4 steps 25 min prep 70 min cook (check method) 95 min total medium
1
Cook greens
Simmer cassava leaves until softened and safe to eat.
greens 30:00
2
Build sauce
Cook onion, tomato, oil, and chili into a thick base.
base 12:00
3
Enrich
Add coconut milk and fish and ground peanuts or coconut, then simmer into the greens.
simmer 18:00
4
Finish
Season and serve with rice or breadfruit.
finish 05:00

Mataba changes by household and market. Keep the main ingredient and seasoning balance, then adjust heat, liquid, or starch for your table.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas
Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for family meals, weekend cooking, and country cooking.. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 95 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

rice or breadfruit

Regional lane

Comoros national table. A structured Comoros dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs
  • Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
  • Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
  • Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
How you know it is ready
  • The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
  • The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
  • The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Mataba recipe from Comoros
Mataba finished dish
Chef board

Build the table around Mataba

rice or breadfruit

Best route from here

Comoros national table

Collections to keep cooking
Explore Comoros recipes
Explore more recipes
Keep exploring

Cook around Mataba

Find a side dish or your next recipe from the same country or collection.

Langouste a la Vanille recipe from Comoros Comoros Recipe Langouste a la Vanille Langouste a la Vanille is a seafood with lobster or prawns, vanilla and coconut milk. Serve Time80 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietDairy Free RegionEast Africa Open recipe Mkatra Siniya recipe from Comoros Comoros Recipe Mkatra Siniya Mkatra Siniya is a bread with rice flour and wheat flour, coconut milk. Serve Time80 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietDairy Free RegionEast Africa Open recipe Pilao Comorien recipe from Comoros Comoros Rice dish Pilao Comorien Pilao Comorien is a rice with chicken or beef, clove, cardamom, and cinnamon. Serve Time80 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietDairy Free RegionEast Africa Open recipe Mkatra Foutra recipe from Comoros Comoros Breakfast Mkatra Foutra Comorian coconut flatbread made with yeast, coconut milk, and sesame, cooked on a hot pan until soft and golden. Time125 min ServingsServes 8 DifficultyMedium DietVegetarian RegionEast Africa Open recipe
Browse AfroKitchen Explore Comoros recipes