A delicious Haifiridzi dish

Chef Rudo Kandiero

TODAY, we celebrate Africa Day. This is a day dedicated to honouring the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the African continent.

Food plays a vital role in African culture and celebrating Africa Day with traditional cuisine is a wonderful way of appreciating the continent’s culinary delights.

There are many ways to embrace this celebration through food. You can invite friends and family to share their favourite African dishes, experiment with traditional recipes and ingredients or support local restaurants that serve authentic African cuisine.

African food is known for its nutritional value. Leafy greens such as kale and collard greens are rich in vitamins and minerals, while sweet potatoes provide fibre and vitamin A. Beans and legumes are excellent sources of protein, fibre and minerals.

Nuts and seeds offer healthy fats, protein and essential nutrients, while fresh fruits contribute potassium and fibre. Additionally, many African dishes are high in fibre, which supports digestive health and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Traditional Zimbabwean foods include sadza, grilled meats, offals, peanut butter stew (prepared with meat or vegetables), sun-dried vegetables, mopani worms, a variety of fruits and maheu.

Nutritious vegetables such as munyevhe, mutsine, munyemba, muboora, covo, cabbage and tsunga are highly recommended. Today, we are going to prepare a special dish — Haifiridzi — a delightful combination of meat and leafy vegetables served with sadza.

Ingredients

Beef bones/stewing steak;

Rape/covo;

Cooking oil;

Salt to taste;

Tomatoes;

Onion

Method

1. Cook meat or bones until tender.
2. Chop tomatoes and onion, and add to meat. Season to taste.
3. Add rape or covo and cook for five minutes.
4. Add stock and serve hot with sadza

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Goat stew

Estimated cooking time is two hours and 30 minutes, and the recipe serves six.

Ingredients

One-and-a-half kilogramme goat meat;

Two litres beef stock or stock cubes;

Three tablespoons oil;

One grated tomato;

Two chopped onions;

Three garlic cloves;

One tablespoon fresh ginger;

Paprika;

Four sprigs rosemary;

One green pepper;

Three fresh chillies (optional)

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the meat in batches and sear until well browned. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add chopped onions, chilli, ginger and garlic to the pot and cook for five minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika and grated tomatoes, mixing everything thoroughly. Continue to cook for a few minutes.
3. Pour in one litre of water or stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately one hour, or until the meat is tender.
4. Once the liquid has reduced, add another litre of stock or water. Cook for an additional 45 minutes or until the stew has thickened to your desired consistency.
5. Stir in fresh rosemary and let the stew simmer for 30 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld.
6. Serve hot with sadza or rice.

Power foods

Covo (collard greens): An excellent source of essential minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium, iron and magnesium.

Goat meat: A high-protein, low-fat meat that is a good source of vital nutrients such as Vitamin B12, zinc and potassium.

Rosemary: Supports the immune system, helps protect against cell damage and infections due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and may improve digestion.

Rudo Kandiero is a qualified chef with a diploma in food preparation and culinary arts, patisserie and food safety. She can be contacted on 0772748509.