Gni-Lan Déssi (Beef Tomato Sauce)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Country of Origin
Togo
Description
A rich, slow-simmered beef sauce packed with caramelized onions, puréed tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet peppers.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Ladled hot over plain boiled white rice, Watchi (rice and beans), or boiled plantains.
Ingredients
2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
4 ripe Roma tomatoes, puréed
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cups beef stock
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Pre-cook Beef: Place beef cubes in a pot with 1 cup water, half minced garlic, half grated ginger, and salt. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes until tender. Drain beef, reserving broth.
Brown Beef: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown boiled beef cubes for 6 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
Caramelize Onions: Add chopped onions to oil in pot; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until golden brown.
Build Sauce: Stir in tomato paste, remaining garlic, ginger, and curry powder; cook 3 minutes. Pour in puréed tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Simmer Stew: Return browned beef, reserved beef broth, and Scotch bonnet pepper to pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until oil rises to top and sauce is thick.
Serve: Adjust salt and serve hot.
Optional
Hard-Boiled Eggs: Add boiled eggs into sauce during final 10 minutes of simmering.
Cooking Tips
Caramelize Onions: Taking time to brown onions slowly creates deep sweetness and color in sauce.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on 6 servings)
Calories: ~380 kcal
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 80mg
Sodium: 410mg
Total Carbohydrates: 11g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 34g
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