Entree: Botswana – National Cuisine – Ditloo (Hearty Botswana-style beef and vegetable stew served with maize dumplings)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 1 hr 50 min

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups / 300 g) or 1 cup (240 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock or water
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 14 oz (400 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups (120 g) chopped morogo (wild spinach) or substitute Swiss chard or kale
- 1 tsp (5 g) paprika
- 1 tsp (2 g) dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup (120 g) coarse maize meal (for dumplings)
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt for dumpling dough
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water for dumpling dough, plus more if needed
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef with 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) salt and brown the cubes in batches until well-seared; remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the chopped onion to the pot, and sauté until soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, paprika, and thyme. Return the browned beef to the pot and pour in the beef stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until the beef is nearly tender, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
4. Add the sweet potatoes and morogo (or greens) to the pot, cover, and continue simmering until vegetables are tender, about 20–25 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper.
5. While the stew simmers, make the maize-meal dumplings: combine 1 cup (120 g) coarse maize meal with 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt in a bowl. Gradually stir in 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; if too dry, add water 1 tbsp at a time.
6. Drop small spoonfuls of the dough (about 1 tbsp each) directly into the simmering stew, spacing them apart. Cover and cook for 12–15 minutes until dumplings are set and cooked through. If preferred, cook dumplings separately in salted boiling water and serve ladled over the stew.
7. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if using, and serve hot with extra maize meal porridge (pap) or leafy greens on the side.