Tripe has a rich heritage in South Africa, treasured for its unmistakeable taste, cultural significance, and culinary comfort. Sharon Mbonambi, senior product development chef at Woolworths, shares a delicious recipe developed and perfected by her.

With 20 years of experience, Mbonambi is no stranger to the kitchen. For her, tripe invokes memories of her dad while she was growing up in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

She remembers how it was a well-loved dish by all the children she used to play with in her street.

“Tripe has a distinct smell,” she shares. “Even when you were outside playing, the minute to get the smell you know you need to be closer to home because you know what’s coming. It makes me know who I am.”

Where there’s tripe, there’s family

She also remembers sitting around the fire with her family with a big pot in the middle. “You would dish, and we would be telling jokes. So, tripe just reminds me of family,” Mbonambi says.

Tripe, often seen as an acquired taste, has deep roots in South African culture. Traditionally, it’s been a staple in many households, especially valued for using every part of the animal and not letting anything go to waste.

Different regions have their unique variations but the essence remains the same. It is a dish that brings families together.

While ox tripe is traditionally cooked with salt, pepper, and onions, Mbonambi puts a twist on her recipe.

She adds a spoonful of apricot jam at the end of the to give it a sweet-savoury flavour. Whenever she’s feeling nostalgic or wants to relive memories she has of her father, she always cooks a pot of tripe to take her right back to those moments.

Mbonambi shares her special curried tripe recipe.

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Sharon Mbonambi's curried tripe with twist

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
2 tablespoons of Woolworths medium curry powder
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of paprika
400 g can Italian crushed tomatoes
1 kg Woolworths slow-cooked ox tripe
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons of smooth apricot jam
3 x 410 g can Woolworths samp and beans, heated

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onions, green pepper and potatoes for about 8 minutes. Add the curry powder, garlic and paprika and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the spices from catching.

2. Add the tomatoes and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tripe, mix, season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Lastly, add the apricot jam and check the seasoning.

3. Serve hot with, pap or samp or steamed bread.

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