How to cook Samp and Beans

Samp and Beans is a meal that is relished by most South Africans. Its simple nature means that it is affordable to the lowly, average and high-end consumer. It also means that you do not need a detailed rule book to know how to cook Samp and Beans. Did you know that Samp and Beans were one of Nelson Mandela's favorite meals? Read on to know how to cook this delicious and nutritious meal.

Samp and beans feature among South Africa’s most exciting dishes. It is a traditional dish which is prepared from dried maize that has been crushed but not to the finest level. Its variant among the South African Zulu people is referred to as Isistambu. The Xhosa call it umngqusho, while Kenyans know it as Githeri. To save on cooking energy, the process should begin with the overnight soaking of the seeds before you embark on a grueling 3 or more hours of boiling and frying. Read on to learn how various Samp recipes are prepared.

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Traditional Samp and Beans - How to cook Samp?

A lot of people know beans quite well, but what is Samp? In simple terms, Samp is coarsely ground corn.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Soaked 200g of Samp overnight in water
• Soaked 200g of sugar beans overnight in water or dried black-eyed beans
• Two chicken stock cubes
• Salt and Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive oil/butter to taste

Method of preparation

1. Drain the beans and rinse well.
2. Drain the Samp and rinse as well.
3. Place these ingredients in a sizable, heavy-based pressure cooker or saucepan.
4. Add stock cubes and adequate water. (Water should cover the beans by about 2 or 3 centimeters high)
5. Do not be in a hurry to add salt. This may prevent the beans from softening.
6. Cover using a lid and let it cook for approximately 3 hours.
7. Top up water when necessary.
8. A pressure cooker will only require 30 minutes at most.
9. Drain and then mix in the butter/olive oil once the beans have softened.
10. Add salt and pepper for a better taste and serve with curry or stew.

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Samp and Beans soup recipe with meat

Serving: 8

Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

• 500 grams of beans and Samp
• Two chopped onions
• 750 ml of beef stock
• Six curry leaves (dried)
• 30 grams of mild curry powder
• One finely chopped green pepper
• Five crushed garlic cloves
• 30 ml of oil
• 400 grams of tomatoes (chopped)
• Ground black pepper and salt
• Two bay leaves
• 30 grams of masala (for breyani)
• 500 grams of stewing beef

Method of preparation

1. Soak the beans and Samp at least 12 hours earlier.
2. Rinse and place them in a pressure cooker or a pot.
3. Add in water, 2-3 cm above the contents.
4. Pressure cook for about 30 min or until the Samp and bean mixture is soft.
5. Drain the water and season with salt.
6. Keep it aside for now.
7. In the cast iron pot, heat the oil and brown the beef in bits.
8. Remove these using the slotted spoon and put aside.
9. Sauté the green pepper, onions, and garlic in oil until well softened.
10. Add your spices and cook for a minute and a half because it draws out the flavor.
11. Add the cooked Samp, browned meat, and tomatoes.
12. To taste, adjust the seasoning.
13. Add 500 ml of stock and then stir well and cover.
14. Allow them to simmer for 45 minutes.
15. In case the mixture becomes too dry, add more stock.

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Samp and Beans with beef and veggies

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• One cup of sugar beans
• One cup of Samp
• One tablespoon of seasoning salt
• 2 kilograms of beef
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• Two sizable onions
• 1/3 of green pepper
• Two tablespoons of coriander powder
• One tablespoon of cinnamon
• Four beef stock cubes
• One potato
• One cup of veggies (broccoli, green beans, baby marrow and carrot)
• One squash – yellow button

Method of preparation

1. Separately, soak the Samp and beans in water overnight.
2. Cook the beans and Samp separately for over 3 hours (Until soft enough). Just add a little salt since you will add spices as well.
3. Cut the beef in small pieces, sprinkle some salt and boil it for approximately 45 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in another pot.
5. Meanwhile, chop the squash, pepper, potato, and onions into small pieces.
6. Add the above ingredients to the oil and sauté until they turn almost golden brown.
7. Transfer the meat from the boiling pot to the ingredient mix.
8. Add cinnamon, coriander, and two beef stocks.
9. Place a lid over the pot and allow them to simmer on medium heat. Stir at close intervals.
10. Once your meat is well cooked, add the veggies and allow them to simmer until the veggies are well cooked.
11. Mix your beans and Samp, and then add two beef stock cubes.
12. Keep boiling them for approximately twenty minutes, and then add the beef mixture to the Samp.
13. Stir until everything is well combined.

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Samp and Beans with a fresh Chakalaka

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• One cup of samp (dried and chopped corn kernels)
• One cup of dried sugar beans
• Two teaspoonfuls of Westfalia Avacado oil (garlic flavored)
• 500 grams of stewing lamb (You can also use cubed boneless beef )
• One chopped large onion
• Two chopped celery stalks with leaves
• Four halved and sliced carrots
• Three coarsely grated baby marrows
• 300 grams of coarsely grated butternut
• Two teaspoons of coriander (ground)
• Four teaspoons of Paprika
• One bay leaf
• Three cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of strong Rooibos tea
• Two 410g tins of tomatoes (chopped)
• Two tablespoons of freshly chopped rosemary and origanum
• Salt and pepper

Fresh Chakalaka (relish)

• Two cubed avocados
• Two cubed ripe tomatoes
• Four teaspoons of freshly grated ginger
• One cubed and seeded red pepper
• Two tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
• Two tablespoons of lemon juice

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Method of preparation

1. Separately soak your samp and beans in cold water overnight.
2. Drain and rinse.
3. Heat oil in a sizable pot and fry the meat evenly until it is golden brown.
4. Add celery and onions, and sauté until soft.
5. Add butternut, carrots, baby marrows and spices, and sauté to give aroma.
6. Add meat, tea, stock, and beans. Let it boil and then reduce the heat.
7. Cover and allow them to simmer for two and a half hours. Ensure that the meat, samp, and beans are tender enough.
8. Add the herbs and tomatoes and allow them to simmer for about twenty minutes.
9. Season to taste.

Fresh Chakalaka

Mix all the ingredients well, season to taste and then serve spoonfuls with the main meal (Samp and Beans).

Hot Chicken, Samp, and beans

Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• One cup of sugar beans (add two tablespoons of brown sugar and some salt and boil until tender)
• One sliced onion
• Two chilies
• Several stems of thyme
• One and a half chicken pieces
• One teaspoon of dhanya powder
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric
• 5 Cinnamon sticks
• One star anise
• A half teaspoon of jeera seeds
• Two cloves
• Two teaspoons of course salt
• One cup of chopped coriander
• 250 ml of cooking oil
• One cup of Samp (boiled until tender)
• Two skinned and chopped tomatoes
• Fifteen curry leaves
• One tablespoon of crushed garlic
• One teaspoon of jeera powder
• One teaspoon of garam masala
• One tablespoon of hot chili
• 2 bay leaf
• One black elachi
• One pinch of soomph
• Black pepper to taste
• Two teaspoons of Amina’s butter chicken paste
• One tablespoon of Rama Margarine

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Method of preparation

1. Heat the oil in a sizable pot.
2. Fry the spices, thyme, and onions. The onions should fry soft.
3. Add the chili powder and stir shortly.
4. Add the crushed garlic, black pepper, tomatoes, salt, garlic, and Amina’s paste. Fry them until your tomatoes are soft.
5. Add in your chicken pieces (without water).
6. Stir well and cook for over twenty minutes.
7. Stir now and then.
8. Add in the beans and Samp and stir well.
9. Cover and then lower the heat and cook for about 30 minutes (Stir at reasonable intervals).
10. Add in the Rama margarine and stir well.
11. Garnish with coriander, and allow them to simmer for five minutes before serving.

South African Samp and Beans (Umngqusho)

Ingredients

• Two cups of cracked hominy (Samp)
• Three cups of pinto beans or sugar beans
• One onion
• Three potatoes
• One large tomato
• Three tablespoons of canola oil
• Salt
• Two vegetable bouillon cube
• Three tsp of curry powder

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Method of preparation

1. Soak the Samp and beans overnight.
2. Put them in a sizable pot and add in about 7 cups of water.
3. Cook until they are soft enough. Check after every 30 minutes to ensure that there is enough water.
4. Once the Samp and beans are soft, drain off some of the water.
5. Add in everything else, i.e. Spices, oil, vegetables, salt, and seasonings.
6. Use at least 30 minutes to cook this mixture until the beans are soft.

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Samp, Beans, and Mutton

Ingredients

• One kilogram of mutton pieces (chopped)
• One cup of dry samp (Must have been cooked with a teaspoon of turmeric powder. It must also have the slight hardness to bite)
• ¾ cup of dry sugar beans (boiled)
• One finely chopped onion
• Three teaspoons of cooking oil

Spices to add

• Three cardamom pods
• Two teaspoons of yellow mustard seeds
• One teaspoon of fennel seeds
• One teaspoon of cumin seeds
• One teaspoon of coriander fine powder
• Three teaspoons of masala powder
• One cinnamon stick
• Two teaspoons of chili powder
• Four grated garlic cloves
• Four grated tomatoes
• Two teaspoons of salt
• Freshly grated ginger-3cm

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Method of preparation

1. Fry your onion until translucent.
2. Add in all the spices including ginger and garlic.
3. Fry for five minutes to release all the flavors.
4. Add in the pieces of mutton and brown them.
5. Add in the grated tomato and allow them to simmer for about twenty minutes.
6. Take two cups of the water extracted from the boiled Samp and beans and add them in.
7. Let it simmer until it is thick (You are making some delicious tomato chutney right there)
8. Add in the beans and Samp and heat it for almost 15 minutes.
9. Season and serve with fresh coriander.

Samp and beans recipes are quite versatile. With a little more research, you may find many more ingredients (like tripe) that can fit in to give you a different and even better meal. Now that you know how to cook Samp and beans, use this guide, and you will for sure marvel at the fruits of your creativity.

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Source: Briefly News