Beef stew with Okra

It goes without saying that there are many ways of cooking beef. Stew is one common method and is popular all over the world. The stew includes many other ingredients and vegetables which all add to the flavour and nutritional benefits.

In order for the beef to be tender, you may need to boil it first before making the stew. Boiling also ensures that the meat is fully cooked and therefore no risks of illnesses caused by partly cooked meat.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg beef
• 5 pcs okra
• 3 peeled potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 4 tomatoes
• 3 pcs crushed/finely chopped garlic
• 3 pcs carrots
• 1 finely chopped pepper (optional)
• Oil
• Salt 
• Royco/curry powder
• Garam masala/cumin seeds

 Method:

1. Put cut beef cubes in a sauce pan/sufuria and boil till tender, about thirty minutes. You can either boil till water evaporates or drain the beef broth and add it to the stew later instead of plain water.
2. Pour oil to the dry beef then add onions and cook till onions are browned.
3. Add the crushed garlic and garam masala or cumin seeds and cook for a minute.
4. Add the pepper, carrots,okra,tomatoes and potatoes and cook for ten minutes.
5. Add royco and broth or enough water to make the stew. Cover and boil for five minutes.
6. Taste and add salt to your liking then simmer for another five minutes till the potatoes are done.
7. Serve.

Garlic Spiced Deep Fried Potatoes

Here in Mombasa, viazi karai (deep fried potatoes) are very common and are cooked in restaurants, homes and road side kiosks. They are highly favoured not only for their deliciousness but also for the fact that they are simple to prepare.

The cooking process involves first boiling potatoes till cooked but firm and then deep frying. It is a simple process and takes few minutes to cook. Most people like to boil the potatoes with the skin on after thoroughly washing to remove any soil particles.

Once cooked, the potatoes are peeled and immersed in a specially prepared batter. The batter's consistency and spiciness plays a vital role in the final taste of the food. It could be prepared by simply mixing water, a little salt and wheat flour, or one or more spices could be added.

Garlic Spiced Deep Fried Potatoes

In this recipe, I added garlic to the batter. You may need to prepare the batter as you boil the potatoes. Note that they should never crumble once cooked. They must retain their shape.

Other than the potatoes, these are the other ingredients that you will need.



For the batter:

• 1 1/2 cup of water
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 4 pcs crushed garlic
• A pinch of food colour

You should use a ratio of water to flour based on how thick you want the coat to be. The lighter it is, the shorter the time it will take to cook.
The above ingredients are for cooking about five medium sized Irish potatoes.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and make sure that there are no lumps.

Procedure:

1. After the potatoes are cooked but still firm, peel them and set them aside to cool.
2. Put enough oil in a deep frying pan and heat it. Do not let it become too hot.
3. In the meantime, cut the potatoes into your desired shape; cubes, oval pieces etc.
4. Immerse the potatoes into the batter and coat all sides.
5. Deep fry the pieces until the batter coating is cooked. Do not use very high heat.
6. Fry all sides then remove and place on paper towels to drain off the excess oil.
7. Serve.

The garlic spiced deep fried potatoes can be served with homemade sauces like tamarind sauce or pepper sauce. Try them with a sauce of your choice.
They may also be cooked in the morning for breakfast and served over a cup of tea or coffee.

Garlic Spiced Deep Fried Potatoes with Amaranth leaves

Equally, you could serve with stir fried vegetables for more nutrients. In the above picture, the potatoes have been served with steamed and stir fried amaranth leaves. They make a great accompaniment.

How to Cook Kunde/Cow peas Leaves

Cow peas or black eyed peas are commonly referred to as Kunde in Swahili. Their green leaves are cooked like other vegetables except that a number of people prefer boiling them first.

Boiling makes the leaves tender and easily digestible. There are a number of ways of cooking them. For instance:

1. Once boiled, oil is added to a sauce pan to saute onions for about three minutes. The drained cow peas leaves are added and cooked for a few minutes to absorb the oil and onion and to get more flavor.

An advantage of this simple way of cooking is that the leaves retain their natural flavor since there aren't many vegetables added.

2. Another way of cooking them is adding more vegetables to make it more nutritious. Beef can also be added.

3. In some Kenyan communities, the leaves are boiled whole then after draining pounded/mashed instead of chopping them, especially if they are to be served to many people.

I will share a recipe that includes other vegetables but excludes meat.

Ingredients:

• Chopped and boiled cow peas leaves- about 3 handfuls
• 1 onion
• 2 tomatoes
• Garam masala
• Crushed or finely chopped garlic
• 2 pcs of okra
• 1 bell pepper
• Royco/ any other spices of your choice
• Cooling oil & salt

Procedure:

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil for about three minutes.
2. Add the bell pepper and cook for a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and okra. Add also garam masala and any other spices of your choice (e.g tumeric, cumin, dhana jeera).
4. After two minutes, add the boiled cow peas leaves and stir to mix all the ingredients. Cook for five minutes. In case you want to add royco, add to the sauce pan and simmer for five minutes.
5. Taste for salt then serve.

The kunde/cow peas leaves are great served with chapati or ugali. They have a distinct taste that easily diferentiates them from other green leafy vegetables like kales/collards and spinach.

If you intend to cook together with beef, it is best to cook the beef in oil with onions and garlic before adding the other vegetables. This gives it more time to cook and adds flavor.

Nutritional Facts About Cow Peas/ Black Eyed Peas

Cowpeas are very common in African farm lands due to the fact that they can be cultivated in semi-arid areas with average or little rainfall. They are also referred to as black-eyed peas. They are legumes and have quite a number of health benefits.

Cowpeas are used in various dishes. They can be cooked as soups or as main dishes. They are known by many local names in various countries. They are also cultivated in the Americas and Asia. 

In many Kenyan and African communities, the leaves of the cowpea plant are used as vegetables. They can be cooked as a separate vegetable dish or cooked together with other dishes. In Kenya, the greens referred to as kunde are mostly cooked as a side dish with ugali/sima. They are also added to boiled maize and beans referred to as githeri to make the dish more nutritious. 

The cowpeas leaves are a good source of Vitamins A and C. These vitamins help boost the immune system and act as antioxidants. It is the softer leaves that are harvested because they are tastier and easier to cook. They are cooked with tomatoes and other vegetables. Beef can also be included.

Cowpeas are a good source of proteins and fiber. They also provide potassium, calcium and carbohydrates. Therefore, due to the many health benefits of cowpeas/ black-eyed peas, they are very much recommended by health experts.