Seswaa is the national dish of Botswana. Although simple and of modest ingredients, it is a wonderfully rich and satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Stewing beef; such as brisket or ox cheek
2 large Onions
Beef stock
salt & pepper
Method
Chop the beef, remembering to cut with the grain, as one wants to keep the fibres as long as possible.
Brown the meat in a very hot cast iron saucepan. Add two litres of water and simmer gently for a few hours.
Top up with beef stock and allow to simmer until the beef fibres fall apart by themselves.
Add chopped onions and allow the liquids to reduce till almost dry
Tip: This dish gets its flavour as the beef and liquids reduce after the flavour has been released from the meat over some hours. If not simmered long enough, the fibres remain attached and the liquids do not take up all the flavour. The process can be sped up in a Pressure cooker. This dish is ready when it melts in the mouth.
Chop the beef, remembering to cut with the grain, as one wants to keep the fibres as long as possible.
Brown the meat in a very hot cast iron saucepan. Add two litres of water and simmer gently for a few hours.
Top up with beef stock and allow to simmer until the beef fibres fall apart by themselves.
Add chopped onions and allow the liquids to reduce till almost dry
Tip: This dish gets its flavour as the beef and liquids reduce after the flavour has been released from the meat over some hours. If not simmered long enough, the fibres remain attached and the liquids do not take up all the flavour. The process can be sped up in a Pressure cooker. This dish is ready when it melts in the mouth.
Serve over stiff corn porridge (Bogobe) or sorghum porridge (Mabele) on special occasions.
Polenta will also do the trick and dare I say good old mash potatoes, sprinkle with rose petals and feel the love... added by Amber :)
RECIPE BY THOMAS DU PLESSIS
