Beautiful Namibia - beautiful food

Traditional dishes beyond our borders
Try these recipes and enjoy the traditional taste of the KAZA countries.
Botswana
Seswaa – Meat stew with Bogobe/Pap (Serves four)

800 g slow-cooking beef
1 whole onion (optional)
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Black pepper (optional)
Water (enough to just cover the meat)

Preheat your oven to 160°C. Cut meat into large chunks then brown in a dish suitable for slow cooking in the oven.
Add the whole peeled onion, salt, cracked black pepper, water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then cover and place in the oven for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, remove your Seswaa from the oven and place it on a stove burner to cook off any remaining liquid. Use a wooden spoon to pound or mash up the meat – it should fall apart quite easily – until it appears shredded. You can then brown the meat further if desired.
Taste it to check the seasoning then serve with polenta or the more traditional Bogobe and a side of green vegetables.
Photo: Hanna, Pixabay

Angola
Feijoada e Farofa – Traditioneller Bohnen-Eintopf (8 Portionen)
1 Schweinebauch
300 g hohe Rippe, gepökelt
500 g Kassler
500 g Rindergulasch
6 grobe Bratwürste
1 kg schwarze Bohnen, getrocknet
3 große Zwiebeln
2 Knoblauchzehen
500 g Manjokmehl (alternativ 500 g getrocknete und gemahlene Kichererbsen)
2 Orangen
500 g Reis
4 EL Olivenöl
2 Lorbeerblätter
3 Würfel Fleischbrühe
1 TL Paprikapulver
1 TL Currypulver
Salz & Pfeffer

Für die Feijoada die schwarzen Bohnen über Nacht einweichen. Bohnen und Wasser am nächsten Tag mit zwei Brühwürfeln und Lorbeerblättern zum Kochen bringen. Curry, Pfeffer, Salz und Paprikapulver dazugeben. Sobald das Wasser kocht, Fleisch und Würste hinzugeben.
Knoblauch und eine Zwiebel anbraten. Beides zur Feijoada hinzugeben und alles zusammen ca. 1,5 – 2 Std. kochen lassen.
Für die Farofa eine Zwiebel kurz in der Pfanne anbraten. Maniokmehl hinzugeben und weiterbraten bis es knusprig ist. Es darf nicht verkleben.
Zwiebel in einem Topf glasig anbraten. Reis hinzufügen und kurz mitbraten. Ausreichend Wasser und einen Brühwürfel hinzugeben. Den Reis etwa 30 Min. garen lassen.
Die Orangen in Scheiben schneiden und zusammen mit Farofa und dem Reis zum Bohneneintopf reichen.
Photo: Creative Commons

Zambia
Zambian Fish Curry with Nshima
2 large Tilapia or bream, gutted and cleaned
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp of your favourite mixed herb blend
2 fresh chillies
1 tsp black pepper
2 tomatoes, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 onion
Salt to taste
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bunches of Chinese cabbage

For the nshima
4 cups maize meal (any brand is fine)
cold water
boiling water

Put salt and curry in a pot. Put the fish, meat side down, on top of the curry and salt.
Add more curry on top of the fish and pour enough water into the pot until it covers the fish. Boil it on high for 10 minutes.
In a separate pan, fry onion and garlic until fragrant. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and mix well. Add the herbs and fresh chillies and continue to cook the mixture together, over medium heat.
Once the mixture thickens pour over the boiled fish and simmer it on low heat for 10 minutes.
Wash and cut the Chinese cabbage into small pieces. Fry the chopped onion in oil. Once cooked, add Chinese cabbage and salt to taste. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat and keep warm.
In a clear pot, add one cup of maize meal and a cup of cold water to make a paste. Pour 2 1/2 cups of boiling water into the paste and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil for at least 10 minutes.
Then, slowly start to add the remaining 3 cups of mealie meal into the pot, while stirring the mixture carefully until completely combined, about 15 extra minutes. Once a stiff consistency is achieved, you're able to form the nshima into a shape.
Serve the fish with plenty of curry sauce, a side of cabbage, and a generous helping of nshima for a complete meal.
Photo: Creative Commons

Zimbabwe
Nhopi (pumpkin pudding)
1 pound butternut squash/pumpkin cubed
1 tablespoon peanut butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Boil the pumpkin pieces in a cup of water until they are soft.
Do not pour away the water, but add the peanut butter, salt, ginger and cinnamon to the water with the pumpkin pieces. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot for about 3 minutes to allow the peanut butter to soften.
Puree the pumpkin until you have a smooth mixture.
Simmer for about five more minutes and serve hot.
Photo: Creative Commons