Expand your culinary horizon by trying some Zambian cuisine

This Africa Day don’t get caught up in the jollof wars, try something from a different African country, there’s 54 of them!

We love the flavourful cuisine of West Africa but there’s so much more to explore on the continent. How about you try something from a country closer to home?  How about Zambia? The Republic of Zambia, as it’s officially known, is situated in south-central Africa. South Africans and Zambians are no strangers to each other although there might not be a lot of food discussion amongst us. Thanks to two chefs at the Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort, you can try some traditional Zambian cuisine.

Zambia has over 70 ethnic groups. The Bemba people are the largest group in Zambia, and their cuisine is characterised by bold, spicy flavours and hearty meals. One of their signature dishes is Nshima, a thick porridge made from maize flour, which is typically enjoyed with a variety of stews. Below the chefs share recipes for a curried gazelle/beef stew and a recipe for Nshima.

Curried gazelle – From chef Claudia Sichinga

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1kg of gazelle rump steak, or beef chump steak cut into bite-size cubes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 large chilies, seeded and finely chopped (minced)
• 2 plantains or bananas, sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp seedless raisins
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp paprika
• 2 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 300 ml coconut milk

Method

• Lightly sauté the onions in the oil for 3 minutes and then add garlic.
• Taste. If it tastes sweet, add more garlic.
• Fry for 1 minute then add chillies, frying for another 3 minutes.
• Add steak and brown on all sides. Add the tomato paste, raisins, curry powder and spices, stirring.

• Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add plantains.

Nshima – From chef Frank Samba

Ingredients

• 4 cups cornmeal (one cup per serving is sufficient)
• 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 16 cups water (more as or if as needed)

Method

• Pour cold water (two and 1/2 cups for each cup of cornmeal) into a large pot. Over high heat, begin to bring to a boil.
• After a few minutes, when the water is warm, slowly add about half the cornmeal to the water one spoonful at a time, stirring continuously with a sturdy wooden spoon.
• Continue cooking (and stirring) until the mixture begins to boil and bubble.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for a few minutes.
• Cooking the mixture over medium heat, add the remaining cornmeal, as before, sprinkling it spoonful by spoonful as you continue to stir. It is essential to keep stirring -- if making a large quantity, it may take one person to hold the pot and another to use two hands to stir.
• The nshima should be very thick (no liquid remaining) and smooth (no lumps). It may reach this point before all of the remaining cornmeal is added to the pot -- or it may be necessary to add even more cornmeal than this recipe indicates.
• Once the desired consistency is reached, turn off heat, cover the pot, and allow the nshima to stand for a few minutes before serving.
• Serve nshima immediately, hot.
• With clean hands, tear bits of nshima off and use them to scoop up the curried gazelle

If you’re up to exploring you can visit some African food markets in and around Johannesburg. Some of them have delis with some dishes already prepared for you to try. The Urban Ethnic Market at Blackheath Pavilion close to the Cresta Mall might be a destination to consider. They have a user-friendly website and you can order online as well.

If you’re looking for a craft market experience you can try looking for African food vendors at the Rosebank rooftop market.

And if you don’t mind navigating the busy streets of the inner-city, Yeoville offers a pan African culinary experience with many eateries and produce markets featuring foods from the rest of the continent.