Traditional Samp (Manhuchu) with Beef Stew

Samp is a popular Southern African traditional dish also known as Manhuchu by the Zimbabwean community. Samp is crushed corn kernels that can be prepared in several ways. The common way of preparing samp is cooking it with sugar beans; that is how I grew up having it and it brings back a lot of childhood memories with my brothers and cousins.

I love preparing samp with beef & few spices yet some people enjoy it now no spices at all; tastes good either way. It is even sold pre-packed nowadays which it a plus!

Let me not say much and let's get to the recipe...

Prep time: 5 min + 3 hr of soaking

Cook time: 85 min

Total time: 90 min

Servings: 3

You will need:

1 cup Samp (rinsed & soaked)

100g cubed beef

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion

2 tablespoons tomato paste/ 2 large tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon each curry powder, black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, garlic powder

Procedure:

Soak the samp for 3 hours or overnight

Drain the water after soaking and place the samp in a large pot. Add 3-4 cups of water then boil for 60 minutes on medium heat. When the samp is soft, cook to allow the remaining water to dry up. Remove from heat and set aside.

Boil the meat in another pot as the samp is boiling. Drain excess water and add the oil and onions. Fry for 2 minutes then add the tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and spices. Add some water for soup, but make sure the stew doesn't become watery.

After 10 minutes of cooking the stew, stir this into the boiled samp. Cover and cook at a low heat, stirring for 10 minutes. The samp should be soft and the meat should be tender.

Serve hot with some vegetables & Enjoy! :)