CHAD: Jarret de Boeuf with Diri Na Njar spiced rice

Sitting at the crossroads between north and central Africa, the Republic of Chad is entirely surrounded by the lands of other African countries. Landlocked from the ocean Chad is defined by 3 diverse landscapes starting with S: The Sahara Desert in the north, the Sahel transition zone in the middle (forming a belt between the World’s largest hot Desert and Africa’s southern tropical forests), and the fertile and lush Savannah grasslands in the south.

 

Chad may seem to be a remote location but it has been on the maps of traders for over 7 centuries. In the 1700s Chad’s central location made it a hub for the exchange of goods (such as salt, spices, gold, ivory, and textiles), along trade routes between Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa. Its strategic position in the supply chain of luxury goods to the Mediterranean and beyond into Europe did not go unnoticed and in the early 1900s France colonised Chad but their rule was brief and in 1960 Chad became an independent nation. 

 

Chad’s food story has rich cultural heritage that blends ancient African traditions with centuries of interactions with people from around the World. With over 140 different ethnic groups and multiple climate zones Chad’s culinary repertoire is diverse, yet it does have some unifying features. Key ingredients are tomatoes, rice, beef, vegetables and fragrant spices. There is also an enduring legacy of French-style cooking lingering in Chadian cuisine.

 

our

CHADIAN

Menu included

 

JARRET de BOEUF

and

DIRI NA NJAR SPICED RICE

served with

Fresh Baguette

 

Menu notes:  

The baguette can be replaced with sourdough flatbread if you prefer. Also, if you want to add some Chadian side dishes that don’t need recipes you can make:

Ø  Salad made with torn lettuce leaves, avocado slices, shaved carrot and diced cucumbers tossed in a vinaigrette dressing (3 parts oil to 1 part  vinegar)

Ø  Fresh tropical fruit platter of banana, papaya, pineapple, mango and guava

 

 

JARRET de BOEUF

This is a delicious traditional Chadian dish that acquired a French name and culinary nuances during the time of French colonisation in Chad. It is a slow-cooked wonder that needs time to prepare but delivers rewards for the effort

 

Ingredients:

·      1.2 kg beef shin/shank meat (see ‘Ingredient Options’ below for details)

·      2 tbs sunflower or other vegetable oil (plus a bit more if needed)

·      2 onions, peeled, halved and sliced thinly

·      2 red capsicums, de-seeded and chopped (or 2 chilli if you are brave)

·      2 medium/large potatoes, peeled and cut in 3 cm pieces (probably 1/4s)

·      2 tomatoes, diced

·      1 medium eggplant (aubergine), cut in 1 cm cubes

·      1 leek, roots and tops removed, cut lengthwise, washed and sliced thinly

·      2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in 1 cm cubes

·      1large sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1 cm cubes

·      3 cloves garlic, crushed

·      Salt and black pepper to taste

·      6 whole cloves

·      3 bay leaves

·      ¼ tsp coriander pdr or powdered coriander seed

·      ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or replace with 1 tsp smoked paprika pdr)

·      1 cup beef stock (or 1 cup water mixed with 1 beef bouillon cube)

·      1 tbs fresh chopped parsley

·      Parsley flowers to garnish - optional

Ingredient Options for Beef:

To avoid confusion, it is good to know before you go shopping for ingredients that beef shin is also known as shank – the two names are interchangeable. For the purposes of making this recipe easier I am using the term shin here.

 

Jarret de Boeuf  can be made in two styles; boneless or with the marrow bone:

Ø  For the boneless version use shin meat that is removed from the bone then cut into 2-3 cm chunks. In Australia this cut of meat is called Gravy Beef. If you can’t find Gravy Beef then the next best option is Chuck Steak.

Ø    The bone-in version uses 2-3 cm thick chops that are made by cross-cutting the shin leaving the marrow bone in the centre. A butcher can cut these chops for you, but if you can’t get them your next best option is to use Ossobuco, which is an identical cut of meat except made from shin of veal.

 

Method:

1.     Wash the beef with running water then dry with kitchen paper

2.     Salt and pepper the meat in preparation for cooking

3.     Heat oil in a Dutch Oven or similar heavy-based large pot then brown half the beef in the oil, moving it a bit to ensure it gets brown all over and doesn’t stick to the bottom, then remove the meat from the pan and set aside in a dish – then repeat this step with the second half of the beef

4.     Reduce heat under the pot and sauté the onions and garlic until beginning to brown and caramelise- if needed add in a little oil to help caramelisation

5.     Add in 50 ml stock to deglaze the pot using a wooden spoon to scrape up crisp bits form the pot bottom

6.     Add in the leek, tomato, capsicum, cloves, cayenne/paprika and coriander pdr and cook a little until tomatoes begin to soften and release their juice

7.     Pour in the remaining 200 ml stock, stir well and bring to the boil

8.     Once the sauce is boiling add the browned meat back into the pot (and any juices they have released while resting), plus the potatoes and bay leaves and if needed some extra salt and pepper. Ideally the liquid in the pot should just almost cover the ingredients

9.     Bring the pot briefly back to the boil, give it a good stir then place a lid on the pot and turn the heat back to a very low setting so it is just bubbling and let it cook on low for 1 ½ hours without taking the lid off

Note: If you want to know if the pot is at the right temperature follow this rule: when you put your ear near the pot you should be able to hear it bubbling 

10.  After 1 ½ hrs add in the eggplant, carrots and sweet potatoes stirring well and scrapping the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon

11.  Cover and cook for 1 hour adding extra stock/water if needed if it gets dry

12.  At this point the potatoes should be cooked so scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them to the side in a warm, covered dish

13.  Leave the lid off the pot now and simmer it for another  ½  hour or more, stirring occasionally,  until all the vegetables are cooked 

14.  Whilst the pot is cooking mash the potatoes and keep them warm in a covered dish as they will be used to thicken the sauce at the end

15.  Now the beef has been cooking for 3 + hours and all the vegetables in the pot should be tender. Remove the bay leaves and check the sauce flavour again. If needed add a little more salt and pepper 

16.  To finish the Jarret de Boeuf fold the warm mash potatoes and chopped parsley through the sauce until everything is smoothly combined 

 

DIRI NA NJAR SPICED RICE

 

Ingredients:

·      1 cup long grain rice (Basmati or similar)

·      2 cups chicken stock (or 2 cups water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes)

·      2 tbs sunflower oil

·      1 onion, peeled and finely diced

·      2 cloves garlic, crushed

·      ½ tsp fresh grated ginger

·      1 tbs tomato paste (or two fresh tomatoes, diced)

·      ¼ tsp nutmeg pdr

·      ¼ tsp cumin pdr

·      1 tsp salt

·      1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)

·      ¼ tsp paprika pdr

·      2-3 bay leaves

Method:

1.    Rinse rice in water until water runs clear

2.    heat oil in a medium to large pot and gently sauté the onion until translucent but not brown – about 4 mins

3.    Add garlic, ginger and spices and sauté briefly to release fragrance

4.    Stir in tomato paste/diced tomato and cook briefly

5.    Add rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil/spice/tomato mix

6.    Add the stock and bay leaves and bring to boil stirring often with a wooden spoon and scrapping the bottom of the pot to stop the rice from sticking

7.    Once the liquid is boiling give it a last stir and turn the heat down to low, put a lid on the pot and cook for 10 minutes on low

8.    Now turn the heat off (don’t remove the lid until ready to serve), and leave the pot to sit on the cooling element for another 10 minutes

9.    When ready to serve, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork

These are  Q-ZINE original recipes informed by multiple sources including but not limited to:

https://medmunch.com/chad-food/

https://worldfood.guide/list/most_popular_food_from_chadian/

https://www.thomascook.in/places-to-visit/jarret-de-boeuf-in-chad-6343

https://afrogistmedia.com/jarret-de-boeuf-recipe-chad-cuisine/

http://www.tchad.org/research/cook.html

https://ourbigescape.com/15-delicious-chad-recipes/