Seswaa is the national dish of Botswana that you wouldn't miss at events such as weddings and national holidays. The meat dish, usually prepared by men, requires a bit of strength to pound and shred once cooked.
The ingredients are very forthright; meat on the bone, water and salt. Traditionally, the stew was heavily salted, and adding anything else aside from the usual ingredients is taboo. However, with time, people started add[ng other spices to improve the taste.
Ingredients
1. 500 grams of beef on the bone
2. Water enough to cover the meat
3. Salt to taste
4. 1 Onion (optional)
5. Black pepper (optional)
6. 3 Bay leaves (optional)
Method of Preparation
1. Cut the meat into large pieces, season with salt and pepper and place in a pot.
2. Add the peeled onion, black pepper, salt to taste, the bay leaves, and water, then leave to boil for 4 hours.
3. Check on the meat after 4 hours. It is ready if it falls off the bone with ease. If still clinging to the bone, give it some more time.
4. When cooked, remove the meat from the slow cooker and let it cool to room temperature.
5. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the meat down until it resembles shredded beef. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can pull the meat apart with two forks until it is fully shredded.
6. Serve with cornmeal or rice with a side of greens.
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