Beef Hifiridzi - Zimbabwe Beef and Greens Stew

August 10, 2024

Beef Hifiridzi - Zimbabwe Beef and Greens Stew

I get to join Eat the World this month and I am SO excited to find some time to try something new and to blog. And this was a great month to get back into the swing of things as we take a culinary trip to Zimbabwe. It's not a cuisine I am overly familiar with, in fact when I click my Zimbabwe tab it only had one recipe there; it was a personal challenge when I realized I didn't have a single recipe posted from a country that started with the letter Z. So I baked something from Zimbabwe, which, by-the-way, would have been delicious with that dish.

Zimbabwe is a large country in the southern region of Africa and is neighbors with Zambia, the only other country in the world that starts with Z. This dish is called Hilfiridzi, meaning "high fields" because it's a dish from the high fields region of the country. Zimbabwe is known for its beautiful landscape that includes savannas, mountains and caves, and at least 4 different types of forests. One notable feature is Victoria Falls, which is on the border with Zambia. The falls are one of the largest in the world and boast a 38,430 cubic feet flow rate per second!

Check out all the wonderful Zimbabwean dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Beef Hifiridzi (Beef Short Ribs with Greens)
Culinary Cam: Huku Ne Dovi (Zimbabwean Chicken and Groundnut Stew)
Sneha’s Recipe: Mupotohayi a-k-a Chimodho/Zimbabwe Cornmeal Bread
A Day in the Life on the Farm: BBQ Goat Stew

Beef and Greens Recipe

2 Tbsp. palm oil

1. 5lb. stew beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

1-2 tomatoes, chopped fine

3-4 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 chicken bouillon cube

1-2 bunches collards, sliced

Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan. Once it's hot, add half of the beef cubes and sprinkle with salt. Leave it alone to sear without moving it around. Once it is browned, stir to cook on more sides. Once it is browned, remove it from the pan and add the next batch. Season with salt and sear until it's cooked too.

Add the first batch of beef back to the pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is almost tender. Add the curry powder, garlic, and chopped tomatoes. Cook, continuing to stir, until the tomatoes are broken down slightly. Add just barely enough water to come to the top of the beef and add the bouillon cube.

Cover and simmer for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender, stirring as needed.

Once the beef is tender, slice the collard greens thinly and stir to combine. Cover again and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the greens are tender. Check for salt and adjust as needed. Enjoy!