Nothing screams warmth and comfort like a bowl of hearty and rich beef stew. Today, we're diving into a classic Kenyan beef stew recipe, a dish that embodies the rich flavors and traditions of East African cuisine. This stew, known as "Ndizi na Nyama" (Plantains with Meat), is a staple in Kenyan households, offering a delightful combination of tender beef, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices. Whether you're an experienced cook or a novice in the kitchen, this recipe will guide you through creating an authentic and delicious Kenyan beef stew.
Just like with most African recipes, there is no cast in stone way of making East African or Kenyan beef stew. Variations are normally based on the type of vegetables used. The base of the stew is tomatoes and the key is in using fresh vegetables, which will depend on the seasonality. The ''how to'' make East African or Kenyan beef stew has evolved over time. Nowadays, most people use stock cubes or Royco (a type of flavor enhancer made out of cornstarch, herbs, and spices). Since we are making the healthy version, we will only be using natural ingredients for this recipe.
This dish takes quite a while to make but it is worth the wait! The meat is soft and the flavors are sweet and spicy, filled with fresh products. Mr.Man loved this meaty dish with the Ugali and Sukuma Wiki combination. Indeed, when I worked in Kenya many years ago, I had it almost every day for lunch. Beef stew was pretty much always in the menu.
Here’s how you can bring this comforting Kenyan dish to your table.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to create this flavorful stew:
Read also: Waste to Wonder: Flip Flop Art
- Beef: 1-2 lbs beef (approx. 500g ), preferably boneless beef chuck roast, cut into stewing chunks
- Vegetables:
- 2 medium onions, chopped (red onions are commonly used in Kenya)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots
- 2 to 3 tsp crushed garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 plantains, depending on size, peeled and cut into chunks, about 1 ½ to 2 cups, (the one I used weighed 12 oz.
- Potatoes
- Fresh cilantro (coriander) for garnish (optional)
- Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 to 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Salt to taste
- Bay leaves
- Cardamom pods
- Liquids:
- 1 can tomato puree or blended tomatoes (approx.
- 2 cups beef broth or water (or more, as needed)
- Splash of coconut milk
If you can’t get your hands on some plantains, it’s fine to add more potatoes in place of them. But if you can find plantains I do recommend using them. They add a great texture.
Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to make your own Kenyan beef stew:
- Prepare the Beef:
- Use your chopping board to cut your beef into stewing chunks. Season it with a teaspoon of salt, curry powder, turmeric, smoked paprika and black pepper and allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for best results.
- Brown the Beef:
- Under high heat, heat a medium-sized pot or pan then add the oil.
- Add the beef chunks and allow them to brown (about 2-5 minutes) on each side. Turn and allow the other side to brown for about 2 minutes, then stir in the crushed garlic, ginger, and tomato paste. Fry for a further 2-5 minutes until brown and fragrant then add the blended tomato mixture and stir.
- Sauté Aromatics:
- Next, brown the onions in oil over medium heat. Then increase heat to high, add the beef and brown. (Do it in batches if necessary).
- Next, pile on the ginger, garlic, hot paprika and curry.
- Combine Ingredients and Simmer:
- Add the diced tomatoes, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, curry powder, paprika, ground ginger and salt and pepper to taste.
- Return beef to the pot and add coconut milk and potatoes.
- Bring back to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer until the beef and potatoes are almost done, about 20 minutes.
- Add the carrots and red peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, curry powder, paprika, and black pepper. Scrape the contents of this pan into the stew pot with the meat.
- Bring the stew to a simmer and add the carrots. If they are quite firm then add them in along with the carrots. Add the salt now too, start by adding 2 teaspoons at first. You can taste later on to see if you still need to add more.
- Add the potatoes, and plantains if you haven’t already done so, and let the stew simmer for another hour. Stir occasionally, you may have to add another cup of stock, depending on how you like your stew. I ended up using 4 full cups. Check to see if the meat is tender.
- Thicken the Stew (optional):
- If you omit the potatoes, another traditional way to thicken the stew is with cornmeal.
- At that point, in a small bowl add a ladle or two of the stew broth and the corn starch to create a slurry. Mix it well together then add it back into the pot and stir. This will help thicken the stew the last half hour of cooking. If you like it thicker, then repeat this step with a bit more corn starch. It is really up to your preferance.
- Final Touches:
- After 2 hours of simmering, all the components should be fork tender. You can taste and season more if necessary.
- Garnish with some coriander or parsley.
- Pressure Cooking Instructions:
- To make this stew on the Instant Pot: Add the beef, blended ingredients, and spices to the Instant Pot. Close the lid, making sure it is set to SEAL then set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 25 minutes. Once the cooking time is over, allow the Kenyan Beef stew to naturally pressure release for at least 10 minutes before using the manual pressure release function.
The total time excludes the time it takes to marinate the meat and will differ, depending on how soft or tough your meat is.
Serving Suggestions
You could serve this with rice or ugali, but that is not really necessary since there is plenty of starch in the stew. Serve with fresh chapati. If you’re feeling particularly traditional, use pieces of the chapati to pick up the food instead of silverware. This makes a Kenyan dinner perfect.
Better yet, served with some vermicelli rice for a delightful weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy. To make the vermicelli rice, in a pot, add 1 tbsp of ghee along with 1/3 cup of vermicelli. Let this toast a bit with the ghee. Then, add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of white rice. Season with a bit of salt. Mix together and let this come to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes until cooked through. Fluff every few minutes while cooking.
Read also: Discover Sentrim Elementaita Lodge
Here are some additional recipes to complete your Kenyan meal:
- Kenyan Ugali (Maize Meal): A staple accompaniment to beef stew.
- Kenyan Sukuma (Collard Greens): A simple and nutritious side dish.
Beef Stew Recipe | How to Make Beef Stew | Simple Beef Recipe | Infoods
Enjoy your homemade Kenyan Beef Stew!
Read also: Best Nairobi Excursions
Popular articles:
tags: #Kenya
