Samp & Beans aka Umngqusho is a staple food of many South Africans.
This traditional dish of the Nguni people has been adopted
by many cultures here in South Africa.
The Zulu people call it Isistambu and the Xhosa people who make up the largest group of the Nguni people call it Umngqusho.
Interesting little tidbit is that this was a favourite dish of one of our icons, President Nelson Mandela; affectionately known as Madiba.
I cannot mention his name without quoting one of my favourite Madiba quotes - if only we could all live our lives in this way!
For to be free is not merely to cast off ones’ chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
Samp & Beans is made from sugar beans and samp (crushed corn kernels) which is slow cooked for a couple of hours.
Many prefer adding chili spice to this dish to give it a kick and really heat up the cockles.
Diced Onions, Tomatoes and cubed Potatoes are usually added.
Beef is the preferred meat to add to this dish, and I've used boneless Soft Shin.
Shin is from the foreshank of the animal and in my eyes is by far the best beef cut for stews, curries and any other slow-cooked meat dishes.
One has to slow cook it for a couple of hours, but really is well worth it as it becomes tender and gelatinous which in turn thickens any dish.
Soft Shin still frozen when I took the photo.
SAMP & BEANS a la lizelle
- 1 cup Samp, soaked overnight
- 1 cup Sugar Beans, soaked overnight
- 1 Onion, diced
- 700 gram Soft Shin, cubed
- Fresh Rosemary
- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
- 1 whole green chili
- 2 Tomatoes diced (optional, I omitted it this time)
- 2 Potatoes - (optional, I omitted it this time)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed Vegetables
Sautee Onions in a little oil, add meat & brown before adding samp & beans.
Add approx 3 litres Vegetable or Beef Stock and salt.
Slow cook for at least 3 hours or till samp & beans are soft; topping up with hot water from time to time.
Lastly add garlic, chili and frozen Mixed Vegetables, loads of Pepper and your favourite seasoning and cook for another 10 minutes.
The beauty of this dish is that it kind of looks after itself once it's slowly simmering on the stove.
Samp & Beans can also be cooked in an insulated cloth bag, only using electricity to start the cooking process.
I wrote about the Wonder Bag three years ago. This Proudly South African invention was originally manufactured to help rural women as it saves power and can be left so the food can slow cook all day while the women are out at work and produce a hot cooked stew, soup or samp & beans.
The Wonder Bag is now used worldwide; my fellow foodie friend @plantstoplanks has written about her experience with it here on the blockchain.
Really comforting hot meal that the whole family enjoys.
This has been my contribution to this week's Qurator's Hive Top Chef - Something Meaty; must add I wanted to really show off meat with a typical South African BBQ or Braai as well call it, but it was much too cold for that this weekend, so I ended up with this comfort food today!
Original Content by @lizelle
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