“We’re going to be making a delicious dish celebrating Mandela Day – with one of his favourite dishes of Oxtail Stew with idombolo, and of course we’ll be giving it our own twist,” shares Lungile.

To get your hands on the recipe here:

Oxtail stew with idombolo

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 30mins 

Cooking time: 3-4hrs 

Stew

2,6kg Oxtail 

Salt and pepper 

2 onions, diced 

4 stalks celery, diced 

3 cloves garlic, sliced/crushed 

2 Bay leaves 

1/2 tsp Cloves 

1 tsp Fennel seeds 

1 bouquet garni

2 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tbsp tomato paste 

2 tins peeled and chopped tomatoes 

500ml (2 cups) red wine 

375ml (1 1/2cups) beef stock 

250g baby carrots 

1,5kg baby potatoes, halved

Dombolo

3-4 cups self raising flour

10g 1 packet yeast 

1 tsp (5ml) sugar 

Salt and pepper 

1 tbsp (15ml) dried mixed herbs 

1 egg

500-750ml lite beer 

1. Stew: Season meat with salt and pepper and In an oiled pan brown the meat. Remove and set aside 
2. In the same pan reduce the heat and sauté the onions, garlic, celery, all the spices for 3-5mins.
3. Add the tomato paste and tinned tomato. Add the meat and deglaze the pan with red wine and beef stock. Allow to simmer on a low heat for 3hrs.
4. Dombolo: In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Mix beer and egg and slowly add to dry ingredients to form a dough. 
5. Knead until smooth and allow to proof for at least an hour. 
6. Once the meat had softened add the potatoes and carrots. 
7. Roll dombolo mixture into balls and add to the stew. 
8. Close the lid and simmer until dombolo, meat and veggies are cooked through. 
9. Serve and enjoy

“Mandela Day to me means everything about uBuntu, showing love, gratitude and giving back when you can and just being there for the ones that you love.”   

On this evening, that meant Chef’s sister Nhlanhlo Mkhize and their father, medical Doctor Albert Nhlanhla.