Umngqusho – Traditional South African samp and beans

Indulge in South African tradition with this Umngqusho recipe. Also known as “samp and beans,” this South African favourite is packed with flavour and sure to satisfy.

I used to prepare Umngqusho on a regular basis for Nelson Mandela. He loved traditional dishes. He even enjoyed this dish when it was served without meat as he believed it was a complete, tasty meal on its own.

When preparing Umngqusho, you cannot be in a hurry as you need the samp and beans to simmer slowly to ensure a soft, creamy result. Also, no matter how tempting, avoid stirring otherwise you end up with an excessively starchy dish that is not appetising at all!

Just make sure to check your pot of Umngqusho from time to time to ensure that the food does not stick to the bottom of the pot. If the samp and beans mixture looks dry, add some water.

Serve Umngqusho with umleqwa or lamb curry for the ultimate taste experience. Enjoy this traditional favourite of Nelson Mandela.

Umngqusho recipe

4 from 8 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4 – 6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Total time

2

hours 

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 500 g 500 samp, well rinsed

• 800 g 800 dried sugar beans, well rinsed

• water to cover

• 1 small 1 onion, chopped

• ½ cup ½ leeks, chopped

• 2 cubes 2 beef stock

• 3 tablespoons 3 butter

• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place the samp and beans together in a pot with water.
• Cover and bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and cook until soft for at least 2 hours. Do not stir or it will become excessively starchy.
• Keep checking to ensure that the mixture does not stick at the bottom of the pot. Add water if necessary.
• After about an hour, add the onion, leek and stock. Allow simmering until it is soft.
• Add the butter and seasoning and stir with a wooden spoon. It must not be dry.
• Serve with umleqwa or lamb curry.

Notes

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Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

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