Entree: South Sudan – Northern Culinary Region – Kawari (Hearty South Sudanese peanut and tomato stew with beef and okra, typically served with sorghum or millet)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 35 min

Additional 40 min

Total 2 hrs 40 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, about 8 oz (225 g), finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, about 9 g, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 14 oz (400 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (960 ml) beef stock or water
- 1/2 cup (125 g) smooth peanut butter or 1/2 cup (125 g) roasted ground peanuts
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh okra, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2–1 tsp (1–2 g) cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1.5 tsp (9 g) salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice or tamarind concentrate, optional
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 2 cups (360 g) sorghum grain, rinsed and cooked according to package directions, for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with a little salt and brown in batches until well seared. Remove and set aside.
2. Build the stew base: reduce heat to medium, add chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.
3. Simmer with tomatoes and stock: add canned diced tomatoes, beef stock, browned beef, coriander, cumin, cayenne and 1 tsp (5 g) salt. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook gently 1 to 1 1/4 hours until beef is tender.
4. Add peanuts and okra: whisk in peanut butter or ground peanuts until fully incorporated into the sauce. Add sliced okra and simmer uncovered 15–20 minutes more until okra is tender and stew has thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice or tamarind if using.
5. Cook sorghum and finish: while the stew finishes, cook sorghum grain per package (typically simmer 40–50 minutes until tender). Taste stew and adjust spices. Serve Kawari hot over or alongside cooked sorghum, garnished with chopped cilantro.