A Ginger Beer Beef Stew!

Yes, you read the title correctly. On leaving our apartment early Friday morning, I quickly shouted out to Efi asking what he would like for Shabbos that evening and he requested a juicy stew that he can soak up the juices with plain white rice. I really had no idea what to make as cooking a stew is really not my strong point! A ran out the house to head for work and promised to give it some thought during the course of the day. Well as things go it suddenly dawned on me at approximately 15h30 in the afternoon I had no idea what I was to prepare in just hours from then. Jumped on the phone to my Aunt Lilla (a real traditional Afrikaans lady whom I consult with whenever in need) asking her for one of her many stew dishes.

Out she started from the top of her head naming the ingredients, giving me a few preparation tips and then the method of putting it all together and there she mentioned the Ginger Beer. A little surprised which I was sure she could sense she re-assuring told me to pour it over all the final ingredients and just to let it boil and that a can of ginger ale would also do the trick which she has had to resort to a number of times in the past however as her great grandmother used to make, it is always better with a home made Ginger Beer.

Ingredients:

400g Chuck/brisket Beef (washed and chopped into cubes)

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 onion chopped

garlic clove chopped

1 tomato chopped

green pepper chopped

1 ½ cups of peas

2 large carrots

6-7 baby potatoes peeled and cut in half

Seasoning – salt, pepper, mixed roasting herbs

1 ½ cup of home made Ginger Beer or Ginger Ale.

Add the flour and seasoning together to a zip lock bag large enough to incorporate the meat too. Give the bag a good toss so that the flour mixture covers all meat cubes.

Coat a non-stick pan with butter or olive oil and brown the meat on a high heat in small batches. Set aside.

Use the same pan to gently fry the onions and garlic, adding the rest of the vegetables. Add the meat on top and pour of the Ginger Beer, cover and let boil for approximately 30 minutes.

The sauce will thicken which can be adjusted by adding a little water. Taste and season if needed and serve with plain white rice.

Good Shabbos and Shabat Shalom!