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Sadza with beef stew
Zimbabwe's white maize porridge with a tomato and onion beef stew
Sadza ne nyama, sadza with meat, is the meal most Zimbabweans would call home: a stiff, smooth porridge of white maize meal shaped into rounds with a wooden spoon, served with a beef stew and a side of greens such as covo or rape. Families in Harare and Bulawayo eat it at lunch or supper, rolling a little sadza into a ball in the right hand and dipping it in the gravy. The mistake is adding all the maize meal at once, which makes lumps; stir in a paste first, then add the rest gradually. Chef's tip: let the porridge "rest and cook" under a lid for a few minutes between additions so the meal tastes cooked, not raw.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the beef stew
For the sadza
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Season 2 ¼ lb beef shin or chuck with ¾ tsp salt. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef in batches for 5 minutes each. Set aside.
12 minStep 2: Cook 2 onions for 6 minutes until golden, add 3 garlic cloves and 1 tsp mild curry powder for 1 minute, then 4 tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes until they break down.
13 minStep 3: Return the beef, add 1 beef stock cube, the rest of ¾ tsp salt and 4 ¼ cups water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender (well past the safe 160°F) and the gravy has thickened. Add a little water if it gets dry.
90 minStep 4: About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, bring 6 ¼ cups water to the boil in a heavy pot. Take out 250 ml and mix it with 150 g of the 1 ⅛ lb white maize meal to a smooth paste.
5 minStep 5: Stir the paste into the boiling water and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until it thickens like porridge. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 6: Add the rest of the maize meal a handful at a time, beating hard with a wooden spoon and pressing it against the side of the pot, until stiff and smooth. Cover and leave on a low heat for 5 minutes, then beat again.
10 minStep 7: Wet a serving spoon and shape the sadza into smooth rounds. Serve with the beef stew and greens. Keep the stew 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 68 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sadza with beef stew take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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