Oxtail Stew (Botswana Mogatla)

Oxtail stew is a wonderful main dish. In Botswana it is called mogatla. Cattle are an important income source for many Botswana. They savour the less expensive cuts for special occasions. This is a popular stew made of oxtail. It takes some time to get tender, but well worth the wait, add in the dumplings called matlebekwane and you have a delicious meal.

1 pkg oxtail
1 white onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 beef stock cube
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. cooking oil, divided
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Brown the oxtail in 1 Tbsp. of oil in a stock pot, then set aside the oxtail. Add in the remaining oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add in the tomatoes, garlic and paste and mix together. Add back in the oxtail and the beef stock cube and cover with water.

Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, this can take a couple hours.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

If making the dumplings, add them in the boiling stew about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Makes 4 servings.