Another cold front on the horizon for Mzansi this weekend! Why not warm your soul with this Middle East-meets-South African dish of isigwamba and a lamb tagine.
Durban-based chef Phumzile Mbinda is a lover of creating fusion with her meals. She combines a Middle Eastern lamb tagine with African staple isigwamba. Isigwamba is a combination of two African staples, maize meal and spinach and is traditionally served as side dish for meaty dishes.
Beat the winter blues with this recipe this weekend!
READ: Durban chef channels her business ethic from motherhood
Isigwamba
INGREDIENTS
1 cup maize meal
2 cups of chopped spinach
Olive oil
METHOD
- Make a slurry with the maize: add one cup of maize to 3 cups of water and stir until there are no lumps.
- Fry spinach in a large pot over medium heat until it begins to wilt.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add slurry of maize to spinach.
- Allow to simmer on medium heat for 20 – 30 mins. Serve with lamb tagine.
Lamb Tagine
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup of butter beans
5 cloves of garlic
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg of lamb (shoulder cuts diced)
Salt and pepper to season
1 large onion (diced)
1 tbsp of crushed ginger
1 cup canned tomato
2 cups of beef stock
1 ½ cups of chopped carrots
Chopped coriander
5 tsp of Ras-el-Hanout spice blend (you can get it at Woolworths)
METHOD
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Season lamb with salt and pepper, working in batches
- Brown the lamb on all sides (seal) then transfer into a medium bowl.
- Add chopped onion to pot on a reduced medium heat and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and begins to brown.
- Add chopped garlic, Ras-el Hanout and ginger and carrots, then stir.
- Add tomatoes and browned lamb with all excess juices.
- Bring to the boil and gradually add dissolved beef stock.
- Reduce and cover, occasionally stirring until lamb is soft and tender. This should take about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Stir in butter beans and simmer until evenly heated. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
READ: Durban chef channels her business ethic from motherhood
