South African Beef Stew

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This South African beef stew is always my go-to dish, whenever I am craving something cozy, especially during cold evenings and winters. Similar to my Kenyan beef stew, it is absolutely easy to make.

ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will require for this recipe. This is a summary, a printable recipe card with full measurements has been provided at the bottom of this page.

• stewing beef - make sure the beef you choose does not have large pieces of connective tissue, as this may lead to it cooking for too long.
• cooking oil.
• vegetables - onion, a few cloves of garlic, medium-sized carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, and some chopped fresh parsley and thyme (for flavour and to garnish).
• seasoning - curry powder, salt, and pepper. Different types of curry powder have different types of spice levels, so choose accordingly, depending on how spicy you prefer your food.
• condiments - tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce (optional), chutney or brown sugar. While the chutney or brown sugar help cut down the acidity of the tomato paste this is also totally optional so feel free to leave it out, if you prefer.
• other - water and all-purpose flour.

how to make South African beef stew

1. Preheat oil in a large deep-sided pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and fry until golden brown and fragrant. Next, add the stewing beef and the garlic, and brown the beef on both sides.
2. Add two cups of water, and stock cube, then cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is tender. Next, add the curry powder, tomato paste, chutney or brown sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper, then combine.

3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, and one cup of water, then combine. Cover and cook under low heat until the potatoes and carrots have softened. In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and one-third cup of water using a spoon to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the stew and stir. Feel free to add 1-2 extra cups of water or broth, if the stew feels too dry. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the stew thickens and becomes glossy.
4. Garnish with some fresh parsley or your favourite herbs, serve and enjoy!

what can I serve this stew with?

This beef stew goes well served alongside yellow rice, pap, bread, roti, mashed potatoes, or green beans. You can also serve it with salads or your favourite side dishes.

useful tips

• The total time it takes and how much liquid you need will depend on how tender or tough your stewing beef is.
• Use three large diced tomatoes, instead of the tomato paste if you prefer, and stir in chili flakes or sliced chili peppers, for more heat.
• Feel free to use more water, to boil the meat, if it still feels tough. Just make sure to add it in half cup increments, so you do not add too much.

more African recipes

• Moroccan Chermoula sauce
• Samaki wa Kupaka