Day 196: Zambia and Nshima with Tomato Gravy & Okra

Good evening, Raffies!

We only have two more days to go in this challenge. September is upon us and we are going South. Tonight we dine in Zambia and are going to enjoy a very normal dinner: Nshima with Tomato Gravy and Okra. This is a dish you could expect to eat any day in Zambia.

Nshima is the cornmeal porridge that is an absolute staple in the country. No meal is a real meal without it. Usually it is served with a stew or soup. Cornmeal can be prepared in different ways, but the most common is Nshima. A meal is not complete unless you have Nshima and Ndiwo, which means sauce.

The recipe is simple and the result is lovely. For 2 people I used the following:

1 c corn flour
3 c water
1 tsp salt
250 g beef, cubed
250 g okra, sliced
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt
pepper

Start by preparing the stew, so that the Nshima is fresh and hot when you serve.
Boil your meat in water, until soft. Keep the water, you'll need it soon.
In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Now add some of the beef stock, aka the water you boiled the meat in.
Add the tomatoes to the mixture and bring to a boil. It is now time to add the okra and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the okra is soft. Finally, add the beef and leave it to simmer for a bit. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

It is time to make the Nshima. In order to avoid creating lumps, I pour all the cornmeal in a casserole. Gradually add the water while stirring well and bring the whole to a boil. I keep on stirring, until it thickens. Stir even more until it gets very thick and it won't stick to the sides of the pot anymore.

Serve the Nshima with the Ndiwo and enjoy!

I love okra! So obviously I really enjoyed this.


Love,

Raffi