Sadza neNyama: Zimbabwean Beef Stew with Soft White Maize Sadza

⏱ 110 min · Serves 4

The heart of a Zimbabwean table: a deeply savoury beef stew simmered slow with onion, tomato and a whisper of chilli, spooned over pillowy white maize sadza you scoop with your fingers. Pure, honest comfort food that rewards a little patience.

Per serving: 762 kcal · 50.0g protein · 86.0g carbs · 24.0g fat

Ingredients

• 800g beef chuck or shin, cut into 4cm chunks
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
• 4 ripe tomatoes, grated or 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 green chilli, whole (optional)
• 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 500ml hot water
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to finish
• 400g white maize meal (mealie meal)
• 1.2 litres water

Method

1. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat and brown the beef in batches until well crusted, about 8 minutes total. Set aside.
2. Lower the heat, add the onions to the same pot with a pinch of salt and cook 8-10 minutes until soft and golden, scraping up the browned bits.
3. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder and paprika and fry 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more.
4. Return the beef with the tomatoes, stock, bay leaves and whole chilli. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 75-90 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the gravy is thick and glossy. Top up with a splash of water if it tightens too much. Taste and season.
5. Meanwhile make the sadza: whisk 150g of the maize meal into 500ml cold water in a heavy pot until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer 8 minutes to make a loose porridge (bota).
6. Add the remaining 700ml water, return to the boil, then gradually beat in the rest of the maize meal with a sturdy wooden spoon, a handful at a time, until very thick and pulling away from the pot.
7. Cover and steam on low for 10 minutes, then beat hard again for 2 minutes until smooth and stiff. It should hold its shape on a spoon.
8. Scoop the sadza onto warm plates in soft mounds. Discard the bay leaves and chilli from the stew, scatter over the spring onions and serve alongside, with plenty of gravy.