Melon Porridge with Shredded Beef (Bogobe jwa Lerotse ka Seswaa)

Bogobe jwa lerotse is a Botswanan porridge made from lerotse melon, sorghum meal, and sour milk, offering a delicate flavor. It’s often served with seswaa, a tender shredded meat dish slow-cooked on the bone. Together, they form a traditional and beloved meal for special occasions and gatherings.

Notes:

• 🕐 Prep Time: 30 mins
• 🔥 Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• 🕐 Total Time: 4 hours 40 min
• 🍽 Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Melon Porridge:

• 2 cups bopi jwa mabele (sorghum mealie)
• 1/2 lerotse (cooking melon) cut into 3 cm chunks, peeled and seeds removed
• 3/4 cup madila (sour milk)
• Water

For the Shredded Beef:

• 1 kg slow cooking beef (beef chuck on the bone)
• 1 whole onion (optional)
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper (optional)
• Water (enough to just cover the meat)

🍳 Instructions

For the Melon Porridge:

1. Boil some water (about 1/4 of the pot).When boiling, add enough lerotse to fill the pot and cover.
2. When the volume reduces, add more lerotse, and continue until all the lerotse pieces have been added.
3. Cook gently for another 30 minutes, until the lerotse can be whisked with a traditional wooden whisk (lehetho).
4. Slowly stir in the bopi jwa mabele, a little at a time, while you whisk until all the lumps are broken down. At this point the mixture should be of a creamy consistency – the consistency of typical soft porridge. Cover the pot and allow to simmer.
5. Add more mabele while stirring with a cooking stick (liso le le apayang) to avoid lumps. Continue adding mabele and stirring to a desired consistency and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.
6. Add the madila, gently folding it into the boiling mixture.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Note: Steps 1-3 can be prepared the day before. If the lerotse has been prepared in advance, add it to the pot and stir frequently until warm before adding the bopi jwa mabele.

For the Shredded Beef:

1. Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Cut the meat into large chunks then brown in a dish suitable for slow cooking in the oven such as a cast iron casserole dish.
2. Add the whole peeled onion, salt, cracked black pepper, water and bay leaves. Bring to the boil then cover and place into the oven for 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, remove from oven and place onto the stove burner in order to cook off most of the remaining liquid. Use a wooden spoon to pound or mash up the meat, the meat should fall apart quite easily. and will appear shredded. You may brown the meat further if desired.