Entree: Namibia – Kapana (Grilled beef with maize meal and tomato-onion relish)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Additional
20 min
Total
55 min
Ingredients
- 2 sirloin steaks, approx. 8 oz (225 g) each
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp (15 g) paprika
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse salt
- 1 tsp (5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper or piri‑piri flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp / 8 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 cup (160 g) coarse maize meal (pap/samp)
- 4 cups (960 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter or margarine
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped, approx. 8 oz (225 g)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, approx. 3 oz (85 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar (white or red wine)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- Salt
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, 2 tbsp (8 g)
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
1. Pat the steaks dry. In a small bowl mix oil, paprika, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, and lemon juice to form a coarse rub. Massage the rub onto both sides of the steaks and let rest at room temperature 15–20 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).
2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups (960 ml) water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the maize meal, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until thick and smooth, about 15–20 minutes. Stir in butter or margarine and season with salt; keep covered and warm.
3. Prepare the tomato-onion relish: toss chopped tomatoes and sliced onion with vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and chopped cilantro; set aside to meld.
4. Heat a heavy grill pan or outdoor grill to very high heat. When smoking hot, grill steaks 2–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (time varies by thickness) to develop charred edges. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
5. Slice the steaks thinly against the grain. Plate with a scoop of maize meal (pap/samp) and spoon the tomato-onion relish alongside. Serve with lime wedges and extra crushed red pepper or piri‑piri on the side.
