We all know Moringa tea. It is the darling of tea lovers, big on flavour and even bigger on beneficial properties. I was tasked in this episode to make three recipes from tea, and so I wondered what a pepper soup-like dish with a moringa base might be like. I am pleased to report that it tastes wonderful. Exotic and familiar at the same time. What I found most endearing about this recipe, is that it forces you to slow down and really savour its notes. It has a meditative quality about it, which was very welcome. We live fast paced lives and sometimes, its nice to have a gentle reminder to slow down.

 

Ingredients

1kg beef chopped (or goat meat)

1 onion

1 bunch spinach

1 courgettes, ribboned

2 tbsp whole moringa tea leaves

2L hot water

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Method

1. First make some tea! Pour the hot water over the moringa tea leaves and allow to brew for a few minutes. Once the colour is golden/green and the tea is brewed, whip out the tea leaves and discard them. 
2. Pour the hot tea into a pot (reserving about 1.5 cups for later) , and add the beef, chopped onion, salt and pepper to the pot. Turn the heat way down and allow the beef to stew gently in the tea until tender. You can add a bit of water to the broth from time to time if it reduces by more than half. 
3. When the meat is tender, check seasoning and adjust if necessary. 
4. To serve, place a few courgette ribbons in the bottom of a bowl or mug. Follow this with the spinach leaves. Spoon over the tender beef, followed by the piping hot broth leaving about a inch from the top of each mug. 
5. Finish each mug off with a splash of the moringa tea you reserved earlier to bring the tea flavour back to the fore, and serve immediately.

 

This recipe is from Season 1 Episode 10 of Minjiba Entertains, commissioned by The Africa Channel and showing on RealTime DSTV Channel 155, Emirates in-Flight Entertainment, Amazon Prime, and Demand Africa.