Entree: Eswatini – Northern Culinary Region – Tinkhobe (Boiled whole maize kernels traditionally served with a savory meat and onion gravy)

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 20 min

Cook 2 hrs 45 min

Total 3 hrs 5 min

Ingredients

Dried whole corn kernels (600 g), rinsed and picked over (estimated edible portion: 600 g)
Water for soaking and cooking (quantity as needed)
Beef chuck, trimmed, raw, cut into 2.5 cm cubes (680 g)
Vegetable oil (30 ml; approximately 28 g)
Onion, thinly sliced (1 large; estimated 150 g edible portion)
Garlic, minced (2 cloves; estimated 6 g)
Tomato paste (15 ml; approximately 16 g)
Beef stock (480 ml; approximately 480 g)
Smoked paprika (5 g)
Bay leaf (1 leaf; estimated 0.2 g)
Salt (to taste; estimate 4 g)
Black pepper, freshly ground (to taste; estimate 1 g)
Butter (optional, for finishing; 30 g)
Fresh parsley, chopped (8 g)
Amasi (fermented milk; optional, to serve; 240 ml, approximately 240 g). For a practical catalog estimate, use plain yogurt (240 g).

Instructions

1. Rinse and pick over the dried whole corn kernels. Cover with plenty of water and soak for 8–12 hours, then drain and rinse.
2. Put the soaked kernels in a large pot and cover with fresh water by about 5 cm. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 1½–2 hours. Add water as needed. Drain and keep warm.
3. While the kernels cook, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with some of the salt and pepper, then brown it in batches on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the same skillet and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook for 1–2 minutes. Return the beef to the skillet, add the beef stock and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise gently until the beef is fork-tender, about 1–1¼ hours. Season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the butter if using. If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches the desired consistency.
7. Divide the warm kernels among 4 plates. Spoon the beef and onion gravy over them, garnish with parsley, and serve the amasi or plain-yogurt catalog proxy on the side if desired.