One of the most versatile food ever is Stew. You can use it to eat yam, plantain, beans, rice, pasta, bread… you nameeeee it.
Ingredients:
To marinate beef
- 800g beef
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb ginger
- 1/2 scotch bonnet (ata rodo)
- 1tsp smoked paprika
- 2 bouillon cubes
- 1tsp mixed herbs
- Salt
Stew:
- 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 70g tomato puree
- 4 Tatashe
- 1-2 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 240ml vegetable oil
- 1tsp Thyme
- 1tsp curry
- 3 bouillon cubes
- Salt
Instructions:
Marinate the beef with all the spices and allow to sit for an hour before boiling. Cook the meat till tender, drain from pot and keep any stock to use for stew.

◦ While meat is boiling, blend tomatoes and pepper together. Chop the onions, and crush the garlic, then set aside.
◦ Pour oil into a clean medium pot and allow to heat up. Then fry cooked beef till golden brown, drain out of oil and place on kitchen towel.
◦ Allow oil to cool down then add chopped onions and cook till soft, add garlic and sauté for about 30-45 seconds.
◦ Add tomato purée and fry, stir continuously for about 5 mins. Pour in blended pepper and tomatoes mix and stir together. Cover pot and cook for about 25 mins on medium heat.
◦ Check your pot of stew and stir gently. Stew will start to get thick and might burn, so add stock or water in little amounts. I added a total of 200ml of water.
◦ Add Thyme and curry to stew and mix together. If using stock taste before adding more seasoning cubes as your stock would have had some. If using water go ahead and add some seasoning cubes. Mix together and taste to adjust seasoning.
◦ Transfer fried meat to stew and cook for an additional 10 minutes on medium heat, oil should be floating at the top so you know your stew is ready.
Note: When boiling meat, avoid adding water at the start as the meat will release its own juice. Add water if meat is not tender and pot is drying up.
