Tender beef in rich gravy, warm maize meal pap, and a crisp tomato and cucumber salad come together in this comforting dinner.
Servings: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 2 hours
Ingredients
For the beef stew:
- 750 g stewing beef, cubed
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 500 ml beef stock, plus more as needed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the pap:
- 2 cups white maize meal, not cornstarch
- 4 cups water, plus more as needed
- Salt, to taste
For the salad:
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ¼ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- Salt, to taste
- Lettuce, for serving
Instructions
Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, then set aside.
Prepare the sauce. Cook the onion in the same pot until softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, and curry powder. Stir for 1 minute.
Simmer the stew. Return the beef to the pot and add the stock and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, or until tender. Stir occasionally and add more stock if needed. Uncover toward the end to thicken the gravy. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste.
Cook the pap. Bring the salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add 1 cup of maize meal, cover, and cook for 5–10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to remove lumps. Gradually stir in the remaining maize meal, then cover and cook over very low heat for 15–20 minutes. Add a little hot water if you prefer a softer texture.
Make the salad. Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion with the lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Serve. Spoon the hot pap into bowls, add the beef and gravy, and serve with the fresh salad and lettuce.
Cooking Tip
Keep the stew at a gentle simmer. If the beef is still firm after the suggested cooking time, continue cooking until tender, adding liquid as needed.
Comments
Post a Comment