Sadza ne Nyama — thick maize-meal porridge with a slow-cooked beef stew — is Zimbabwe on a plate. This is the dish you eat on a Sunday afternoon, at a family gathering, or any time you need something that tastes like home. Use a good butcher’s cut from our counter: shin, chuck or brisket all work beautifully because the connective tissue breaks down into a rich, glossy gravy.
Serves 4
For the stew
- 1 kg Butchers Choice Beef Steak, cut into generous chunks
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 tin chopped tomatoes)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 500 ml beef stock or water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh coriander to finish (optional)
For the sadza
- 4 cups water, divided
- 2 cups white maize meal (mealie meal)
- A pinch of salt
Method
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and brown the meat in batches — don’t crowd the pot or it will stew instead of browning.
- Remove the beef and set aside. In the same pot, sauté the onions until soft and deeply golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the fresh tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture collapses into a jammy base.
- Return the beef to the pot with any resting juices, pour in the stock, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on a low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
- For the sadza: bring 2 cups of the water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil. In a bowl, mix the mealie meal with the remaining 2 cups of cold water to form a smooth paste. Whisk this paste into the boiling water and stir constantly for 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Turn the heat to low, cover, and let the sadza steam for another 10–15 minutes. Give it one firm stir with a wooden spoon to finish the cook.
To serve
Spoon the sadza onto a plate, set the beef stew alongside with a generous pool of gravy, and add a side of muriwo unedovi (greens in peanut butter) or steamed covo. Eat with your hands — that’s how it’s meant to be.
Shop the meat: Butchers Choice Beef Steak