Huku Ne Dovi (Zimbabwean Chicken and Groundnut Stew) #EattheWorld

This month the Eat the World writers are looking at Zimbabwean cuisine. Read more about the Eat the World project, being spearheaded by Evelyne of CulturEatz; here's her challenge. And as of next month Evelyne is stepping down. We will miss her, but I have migrated information here.

This month we are traveling by tabletop to Zimbabwe. Here's the line-up...

• BBQ Goat Stew by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Beef Hifiridzi (Beef Short Ribs with Greens) by Amy’s Cooking Adventures

• Beef Hifiridzi - Zimbabwe Beef and Greens Stew by Pandemonium Noshery

• Huku Ne Dovi (Zimbabwean Chicken and Groundnut Stew) by Culinary Cam

• Mupotohayi a-k-a Chimodho/Zimbabwe Cornmeal Bread by Sneha’s Recipe

8 Traditional Foods In Zimbabwe

Because I wasn't too familiar, I did some research into the possibilities and looked at eight traditional foods.

1. Sadza is a fine cornmeal, akin to polenta or grits, that is made into a thick porridge and eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Because it is largely flavorless, it served with other dishes.

2. Mopane Worms are a ubiquitous delicacy across the continent. Most tourists steer clear of these worms that are actually a species of caterpillar. The caterpillars are harvested during the wetter parts of the year, dried, and eaten all year long. It is often served as part of a stew, but they are also eaten dry like chips.

3. Nyama, another staple, is a beef stew that you will find at every celebration. It's made by frying beef with garlic and adding water. After it's tender, it is seasoned with curry powder, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and green beans. Almost every cook in Zimbabwe has his or her own version!

4. Mupunga Unedovi is known as 'peanut butter rice,' and is just as it sounds.

5. Gango is the quintessential no-waste dish, using up parts of the chicken that might otherwise be discarded such as the feet, liver, and gizzards. It is made in one pot, simmered until tender with spices such as curry powder, garlic, and red pepper chile flakes.

6. Chimukuyu, also known as biltong, is similar to beef jerky. While beef is the most common meat used, it is made from ostrich and kudu in parts of the country. The meat is marinated in vinegar, coriander, pepper, salt, and sugar before being dried near a fire.

7. Chikenduza is a red-dyed yeasted cake with a bright pink glaze. It is a small cake, usually about the size of a large muffin.

8. Muriwo Unedovi gets its magic like Mupunga Unedovi, from peanut butter. Any leafy vegetable can be used, such as spinach, kale, or collard greens. The greens are cooked with onions and tomatoes, before adding peanut butter and a splash of water.

But after all that reading I ended up with a dish that wasn't on that list!

A Homegrown Lime

Food in Zimbabwe is incredibly fresh, relatively simple, and uses local crops; recipes are handed down through families and have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Since my dish required a squeeze for citrus, I was thrilled when Jake told me that he had a lime ready for picking. There is nothing more local than something grown in your own yard, right?

Huku Ne Dovi

While the traditional green in this dish is spinach, I used a local wild red arugula. Also, this is often served with sadza; I served it with quinoa because that's that I had.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced, approximately 1 cup

• olive oil

• 2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

• 1 cup tomatoes, diced

• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 4 cups packed greens, torn into bite-sized pieces (I used wild red arugula)

• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter

• ground black pepper

• juice from 1 lime

Procedure

Heat a glug of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and sauté until they are softened and translucent. Add in the chicken and cook until no pink remains. Pour in the stock and add in the carrots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until you can easily pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork. Stir in the greens and cook until just wilted. Whisk in the peanut butter until dissolved. Season to taste with black pepper. Squeeze in lime juice and stir to combine. Serve with rice, quinoa, or the grain of your choice.

That's a wrap on my exploration of Zimbabwe. We will be back next month with another country in the spotlight. Stay tuned.

Our 2024 Tabletop Travels So Far

Click on my recipe title to go to the original post and see the other bloggers' offerings

• January - Spain - Arroz con Langostinos y Carabineros

• February - Afghanistan - Afghani Dumplings: Aushak and Mantu

• March - Indonesia - Rijsttafel, An Indonesian Feast with a Colonial Twist

• April - Denmark - Stegt Flæsk Med Persillesov and Some Danish Memories

• May - Oman - Squid Mishkak and Majboos

• June - Costa Rica - Ceviche De Tiquicia

• July - Palestine - Deconstructed Sayadieh, the Power of Food, and Other Palestinian-Inspired Bites