Lekhotloane (Bashed Beef with Morongo Potatoes) #eattheworld

Welcome to our June 2021 post for the Eat the World project, led by Evelyne of CulturEatz. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

This month she invited us to explore the country of Lesotho! That was a new one to me - I enjoyed expanding my knowledge just a little, learning about this country and the food they enjoy!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I chose this dish, but I'm so very glad that I did! What a tasty, filling, and hearty combination of simple ingredients. 

Look at all our delicious Lesotho dishes!

Pandemonium Noshery: Butha Buthe - Spinach and Tangerine Soup 

Palatable Pastime: Lesotho Likhobe 

Magical Ingredients: Lesothan Chakalaka With Papa 

Making Miracles: Lekhotloane 

Sneha’s Recipe: Chakalaka With Pap-Pap/A Vegan & Gluten Free Stew With Cornmeal 

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Borotho - Bread from Lesotho 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Makoenva 

Cultureatz: Butha-Buthe, a Spinach and Tangerine Soup 

Kitchen Frau: Chakalaka with Pap (Vegetable-Bean Stew with Cornmeal Porridge)

The caramelized onions with the beef were delicious on their own, but add the lightly sauced spinach and potatoes with that hint of peanut butter? It was fabulous! 

Lekhotloane (Bashed Beef with Morongo Potatoes)

Ingredients

For the Beef

2 lbs beef brisket or similar cut

3 TBS oil

2 onions, diced

4 beef stock cubes, divided use

1 cup of water 

salt and pepper to taste

For the potatoes

1 bunch of spinach rinsed

2 large potatoes, cubed

salt and pepper to taste

3 TBS butter

3 TBS peanut butter

Directions

1. Boil the beef in a large pot of water with 2 of the stock cubes, until falling apart tender (I boiled mine about 3 hours). Cut meat into chunks and bash with a meat tenderizer until falling apart.
2. Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat to medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the diced onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize and are tender. Add the beef back into the pot, along with the cup of water and remaining stock cubes. Stir gently until stock cubes dissolve and liquid is mostly evaporated / thickened into a light sauce. Taste, add salt and pepper to taste.
3. When the beef is almost done, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, and boil the cubed potatoes for about 12-15 minutes until tender. Add the spinach in for the last minute or two so that it wilts. Drain potatoes and spinach. Add them back to the pot along with the butter and peanut butter, stirring gently to melt the butter and peanut butter and coat the potatoes and spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Plate the bashed beef with the spinach and potatoes around it to serve.

Recipe adapted from International Cuisine