Recipe: Hearty beef stew and steamed bread

Beef stew

Ingredients

1kg stewing beef

100ml flour

25ml BBQ spice

30ml oil

2 onions, chopped

10ml garlic, chopped

400g can of chopped tomatoes (I prefer the can as it saves time -- already peeled and chopped, but you can use 3-4 tomatoes if you prefer)

15ml tomato paste

500ml beef stock

1 bay leaf

Vegetable mix: baby marrow, sweetcorn, baby potatoes, carrots, peeled and chopped.          

Salt and pepper to taste

Method 

Toss the meat in the flour and spice (the flour helps to thicken the stew later but for now it helps create a dry surface for when we brown the meat).

Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the meat in batches. (Browning the meat helps create a crust and keep the meat intact during the long stewing process but most importantly, it brings out the natural flavour of the meat.)

Add more oil to the pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Return the meat to the pot and let simmer for 45 minutes. Add the tomatoes, paste, bay leaf and vegetables and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Serve with steamed bread.

Steamed bread

Ingredients

4½ cups cake flour

500ml warm water

10ml instant dry yeast

10ml salt

20ml sugar

Method

Grease an enamel bowl with butter or margarine. Sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix with remainder of the ingredients. Knead until the dough is combined and does not stick to the hands. Transfer the dough into the greased bowl. Cover it with cling wrap and let it rise. Fill a big pot with water and place greased bowl inside. Steam for at least an hour or until cooked.

This article first appeared in print in the Sowetan S Mag April 2016 edition