African Cuisine! Republic of Botswana

Botswana might just be Africa’s most touristfriendly country. Welcoming people, remote lodges, exceptional wildlife viewing and, most importantly, food that you’ll never experience elsewhere! The cuisine of Botswana is unique but shares some characteristics with other cuisines of Southern Africa. A food unique to Botswana is seswaa, salted mashed-up meat. Watermelons are believed to have originated in Botswana (Kalahari Region).

Seswaa

https://www.gadventures.com/blog/recipe-seswaabotswana/ Seswaa is the national dish of Botswana. This meat dish is made from beef, goat, lamb or chicken and boiled with onion and pepper until soft and tender. Like every good stew in southern Africa, it is cooked low and slow in a three-legged cast iron pot. Once the meat is soft, it is pounded

or shredded and served on a bed of a pap.

Ingredients:

• 1,000g / 2.2 lbs beef, bone-in (chuck shoulder suggested) • 2 tsp salt • ¼ tsp black pepper • 4 bay leaves • 1-2 cups of water, or enough to cover the meat

Directions:

• Season the meat with salt and pepper, and place it in the slow cooker; add bay leaves and water and cook on high for 4–5 hours. • Check on the meat after 4 hours. If it falls off the bone easily, it’s about done. If it’s still clinging to the bone, give it some more time. • When cooked, remove the meat from the slow cooker and let it cool to room temperature. • Using a mortar and pestle, pound the meat down until it resembles pulled or shredded beef. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can pull the meat apart with two forks until it’s fully shredded.

Morogo

https://www.botswanayouth.com/recipe-morogo-wa-dinawa/ Morogo or moroho, also known as African spinach, refers to a group of at least three different dark green leafy vegetables found throughout Southern Africa harvested for human consumption. It is considered a traditional dish and forms an important part of the staple diet in rural communities. In Botswana, the leaves of the common cow pea (setswana bean) are used fresh as a leafy green.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 generous handfuls of cow pea leaves • 1 medium tomato, diced • salt, to taste • tomato paste • peanut butter • barbecue spice blend, to taste

Directions:

• Crush the dry leaves to the most minimal size. Boil water then soak for 15 minutes. Wash the bean leaves then set in a colander to drain. • Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry gently over low heat for 3 minutes. Add tomato and fry for 3 minutes more. • Pour in 250ml water then add the bean leaves.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the ingredients are tender. • Season to taste with the salt and the spices. Add a tbsp of tomato paste and another for peanut butter and stir in. • Check the liquid levels. If too dry add a little water, if too wet continue cooking until the mixture is moist.

Matemekwane

https://spar.co.bw/matemekwane-botswanas-popularbread-dish/ Matemekwane is one of Botswana’s most popular bread dishes. These little dumplings have become a part of the country’s staple diet. Matemekwane is a seasoned dumpling often stuffed with meat and vegetables. They are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and usually served with hot soup or a dip. Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 6 cups plain flour • Pinch of salt • Pepper to taste • 2 teaspoons sugar • 2 teaspoons instant yeast • 1 cup warm water • Oil for frying

Directions:

• Mix all the above ingredients together to make a fairly stiff dough. Knead well for about 2-3 minutes, but be careful to not over-knead the dough. • Cover the dough and let it stand in a warm place until it has almost doubled in size. • Knead and divide into 10-12 balls. • The dumplings can be deep fried in balls and served hot with a dip or soup; or the dumplings can be rolled flat and stuffed with pre-prepared meat or vegetables. Enclose the stuffing with the dough and fry until golden brown. • Deep frying is recommended but for a healthier alternative, place the Matemekwane on a lightly greased baking tray and brush with oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C until brown..

Dikgobe

https://togetherwomenrise.org/recipes/gbotemi-spicerecipe-tested/

Dikgobe, also known as izinkobe, is a South African word for samp and beans cooked together. The dish is commonly served at Setswana celebrations of life, such as marriage, and those marking death, the passage out of life. For funerals, dikgobe is one of the two acceptable starches to be served, with sorghum as the other. Serves 5.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sorghum grains • 1 and a half cups beans • Mixed vegetables to your preference (example potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, onions, cabbage) • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Soak the sorghum grains and beans in lightly salted water for an hour, keep the sorghum grains and beans separate. • Boil the sorghum grains for 20 minutes and then add the beans. • Boil for 40 minutes, or until the mixture is well done. • Lightly stir-fry the vegetables and flavour them to your taste. • Add the vegetables to the mixture, mix well and simmer for about 20 minutes. • Serve immediately.

Phaphatha

https://ahungryafricanoriginal.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/ phaphathadiphaphatha-from-botswana/ Phaphata is basically a flattened dumpling that is cooked without water. The composition of the dough is pretty much the same as well as the preparation method but the shape of the phaphata is flat and circular and it is cooked dry in a frying pan.

Phaphatha is usually consumed at breakfast (butter them, stuff in a fried egg, bacon and a slice of cheese) or as a snack. Because it is so plain, it’s usually paired with a protein stew. Nothing quite like a hot cup of tea or coffee and fresh warm phaphatha stuffed with chicken liver or chicken stew

Ingredients:

• 500g flour (bread flour is fine too) • Half a packet of yeast • About a cup or so of lukewarm water • Extra flour for kneading • 2 tsps sugar • Half a teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Sift the flour and yeast into a bowl. • Add the sugar and salt • Gradually add water and combine with your hands to form a dough. Only add enough water to form the dough. • Knead the dough for about 5 minutes till it’s soft and pliable. • Put aside in a bowl covered with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 30 minutes.risen dough • On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about half an inch thickness. Using a round object like a plastic cup or cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. • Dust the phaphathas liberally on both sides and place in a flat pan on medium heat with enough space between them to allow for rising. The heat should not be too high or the phaphatha burns before it fully cooks on the inside. • The phaphatha should rise while cooking.

When bubbles appear on the surface of the dough, turn over to cook on the other side. • Remove from heat when cooked through and enjoy while warm. Image credit: https://pemburytours.com/ botswana-foods-to-eat, Pinterest, https://www. tasteatlas.com/phaphatha, www.united-statesflag.com