Traditional African Biltong Recipe

Biltong is a much-loved South African delicacy made with ground beef or ground beef and seasoned with spices such as whole coriander seeds. Spicing biltong has been linked to Dutch inventions, however, the act of drying meat as a form of preservation has been practiced in Africa for centuries and is still happening today. It is most useful, even today, in areas where there is a shortage of electricity for cooling. So when meat stew is made in this area, it is quite typical to use dried meat or biltong with a little jam to make the stew.

The addition of peanut butter to enrich the stew is most likely done because meat is usually not affordable, therefore other protein sources are sought to complement the diet that should be consumed from meat.

Making this stew is easy because all the ingredients can be consumed as is, therefore not much cooking time is required. On the other hand, this stew may not be a suitable staple for practical reasons, as biltong is quite expensive. If you don't want to spend that much money, you can still make this stew. Just use chicken breast and 2 slices of bacon to enhance the taste. If you like the idea of ​​bean stew, give mahale a try.

It is best served with polenta and a side of greens. Traditionally, it is served with sadza and cabbage as pictured.

What do you need

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 11 ounces biltong (or beef jerky or chicken breast substitute and 2 slices of bacon)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger (grated fresh)
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• Optional: cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup water >

How to make

1. Fry the chopped onion, garlic and ginger in the oil for a few minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the biltong and stir for a few seconds. Now add the tomato puree and peanut butter and stir to coat the biltong.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes until the stew has reduced to a very thick sauce. If using chicken breast, make sure the pieces are cooked through before eating.