"Umhluzi means broth, gravy or soup. Cubes of beef are fried and then boiled to make a stock that's served in a cup and sipped during the meal," says Hope Malau whose cookbook,  Johanne 14, explores simple, home-cooked meals from SA's townships.
"As kids, we were never apportioned meat. None of my friends were either. Children just didn't eat meat unless there was an abundance of it, which rarely happened. You could go for a month or two without eating the actual meat, having to settle for umhluzi with a big portion of steaming pap instead. Its meaty flavour was always delicious, nevertheless, and it's still enjoyed in this way today."Try Malau's recipe:
Serves: 4-6
Beef stew:
800g stewing beef
Salt and pepper
45ml (3 tbsp) oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
500ml (2 cups) beef stock
45ml (3 tbsp) tomato sauce
2.5ml (½ tsp) dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf
Umhluzi:
10ml (2 tsp) cake wheat flour
15ml (1 tbsp) water
Meat juices in the casserole
Salt and pepper
To serve:
Cooked pap
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2) To make the stew, trim off any hard fat from the beef and season with salt and pepper.
3) Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan. Fry the meat over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side or until nicely browned, then transfer to a large casserole.
4) Return the pan to the hob, reduce the heat and add the remaining oil. Gently fry the onion for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring regularly.
5) Transfer the fried onion to the casserole with the meat and add stock, tomato sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil on the hob, then cover the casserole and put it in the oven.
6) Cook for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Spoon out the meat, set aside and cover to keep warm.
7) To make the umhluzi, place the casserole on the hob over medium heat. Mix the flour with water and stir it into the juices in the casserole.Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the umhluzi is thick and glossy. Season with salt and pepper.
8) Serve meat with umhluzi and pap.
• 'Johanne 14, Real South African Food' by Hope Malau is published by Quivertree, R275...