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Mazondo
Serves 6 Prep 15 min Cook 3 hr 30 min Total 3 hr 45 min Type Side Origin Zimbabwe

Mazondo

Zimbabwe's spicy stewed cow trotters: a sticky, gelatinous, deeply savoury sharing dish, simmered long with onion, tomato, garlic and chilli.

Serves 6 Prep 15 minutes Cook 3 hours 30 minutes Units Rate

Overview

The trotters get a hard initial boil to set the meat and start releasing gelatin; the water is changed. Onion, tomato and spices build a hot, dense gravy; the trotters re-enter for a long slow simmer until the gelatin gives. The sauce thickens as it cools, glazing every piece. Heat is part of the point.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ kg cow trotters (cleaned, cut into pieces by the butcher - 4-6 cm chunks)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 onions (large, chopped)
  • 6 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger (grated)
  • 1 (400 g) tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (mix of sweet and smoked)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chilli powder (or to taste)
  • 2 beef stock cubes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 fresh red chillies (split)
  • 200 ml hot water
  • Salt to taste

Method

Stage 1 - First boil

  1. Place the trotters in a large pot; cover with cold water.
  2. Bring to a hard boil; skim the heavy scum that rises. Boil 10 minutes.
  3. Drain; rinse the trotters; wash the pot.

Stage 2 - Slow cook

  1. Return the trotters to the pot; cover with fresh hot water by 3 cm; add 1 stock cube and 1 bay leaf.
  2. Simmer covered 2 hours until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone. Top up water as needed.
  3. Drain, reserving 300 ml of the cooking liquor.

Stage 3 - Sauce

  1. In another large pot, heat the oil; soften the onion 8 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, paprika, pepper and chilli powder; cook 1 minute.
  3. Stir in tinned tomato and tomato puree; reduce 6-7 minutes until thick.
  4. Crumble in the second stock cube. Add the remaining bay, fresh chillies, and the 300 ml reserved cooking liquor + 200 ml hot water.

Stage 4 - Combine

  1. Add the cooked trotters; stir to coat in the sauce.
  2. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes - the sauce reduces and glazes the trotters; the gelatin thickens it.
  3. Taste; adjust salt and chilli.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Tip onto a wide platter. Eat with sadza and a beer. The right hand is the right utensil.

Notes

  • Ask the butcher to chop: Trotters are bone-heavy and impossible to cut at home. They should arrive in 4-6 cm pieces, split lengthwise where possible.
  • First boil is for cleanliness: The skim that rises is alarming; the second boil is in clean water with the spices.
  • Gelatin: The sauce thickens dramatically as it cools - this is the gelatin. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen.

Storage

  • Refrigerate 3 days. The sauce sets like jelly cold - that's correct.
  • Freezes 2 months.

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