Matemekwane (Botswana)

World-Bites (79) / Matemekwane

Botswana is an African country dominated in geographical term by the Kalahari Desert. Due to the fact that Botswana is an equatorial country the most important dishes are vegetables and fruits. Botswana people eat a lot of stuff with vegetables like soups and salads. They also eat meat that they got from hunting prepared in special tradition with sauces and tomatoes. Favorite meats in Botswana are beef, lamb, goat and chicken. Although bread flour is not part of the staple diet, it has been imported and used in Botswana for a very long time. There are therefore various bread recipes that Botswana can claim as part of its national dishes. The basic ingredients for bread dishes are bread flour, baking powder or yeast, salt, and sometimes sugar. The most common bread dish is matemekwane (dumplings).

Ingredients:

6 cups plain flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup warm water
Oil for frying

1. Mix all the above ingredients together to make a fairly stiff dough. Knead well for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Cover the dough and let it stand in a warm place until almost doubled in size.
3. Knead and divide into 10-12 balls.
4. Deep fry the dumplings. Serve hot with your favorite dip.