Entree: Botswana – Southern Culinary Region – Bogobe Jwa Lerotse (Thick sorghum porridge cooked with lerotse melon pulp, served as a savory main often accompanied by meat stew)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 1 hr

Additional 5 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Ingredients

- 2 cups (260 g) sorghum meal (coarse sorghum flour) or coarse millet meal
- 4 cups (960 ml) water, divided
- 1 medium lerotse melon (or substitute mild watermelon rind/pale gourd), peeled and seeded, grated to yield about 2 cups (300 g) pulp
- 1 lb (454 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 5 oz) (140 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) (400 g) diced tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 g) paprika or peri-peri (optional, for warmth)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) beef stock or water (extra if needed)
- Fresh spinach or morogo (wild greens) optional, chopped, about 2 cups (60 g)

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper and brown in batches until well colored; remove and set aside. In the same pot add remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until soft.
2. Build the stew: return beef to the pot, add diced tomatoes, paprika if using, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) stock or water. Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes until beef is tender, adding a little water if the stew becomes too dry. If using greens, stir them in during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
3. Prepare lerotse pulp: while beef simmers, place grated lerotse pulp and 1 cup (240 ml) water in a small saucepan, bring to a gentle boil and simmer 5–8 minutes to soften and release juices; strain if excessively watery, reserving liquid.
4. Make the bogobe: bring remaining 3 cups (720 ml) water to a boil in a heavy pot. Gradually pour in sorghum meal in a thin stream while whisking or stirring vigorously to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the porridge thickens and the sorghum is tender, about 15–20 minutes.
5. Combine lerotse and porridge: stir the softened lerotse pulp and 2 tbsp (30 g) butter into the porridge. If needed, add some reserved lerotse liquid or hot water to reach a smooth, firm-but-creamy consistency; adjust salt.
6. Serve: mound bogobe jwa lerotse on a platter or individual plates and ladle the beef stew over or alongside it. Traditionally eaten by hand, pull off portions of bogobe and dip into the stew.