Mbika with Meat

Ingredients

 * oil (palm oil is most authentic) and/or water
 * one to two pounds stew meat (or any meat), ground or cut into very small pieces (optional)
 * two or three chile peppers, chopped
 * one or two onions, chopped
 * two to four cups mbika, egusi, pumpkin seeds, or pepitas (shells or hulls removed)
 * Maggi® cube or Maggi® sauce
 * salt, pepper (to taste)
 * banana leaves or aluminum foil

Directions

 * 1) Roast and shell the egusi or mbika seeds (or their substitute) if they are not already roasted and shelled. Crush or grind them into a flour.
 * 2) Fry the meat, onion, and chile pepper in an oiled skillet, until the meat is well browned.
 * 3) In a large bowl combine all other ingredients, stirring until they are throughly mixed.
 * 4) Add a little oil to the mixture (if desired). Add water as necessary until a thick paste is obtained. Add cooked meat, onion, and chile pepper. Mix well.
 * 5) Make serving-sized packets by wrapping the mixture in banana leaves or aluminum foil. (Hint: if using banana leaves, warm them for a minute in a hot oven or over the grill to make them more flexible. Remove the center ribs of each leaf by cutting across it with a knife and pulling it off. Cut the ends off each leaf to form a large rectangle.) Cook in a hot oven or on an outdoor grill for thirty minutes (or more), until hot all the way through and meat is done -- or -- steam on a rack in a large covered pot of boiling water.