Botswana Beans and Corn One-Pot Stew

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A hearty traditional Botswanan dish made by slow-cooking dried beans with samp (cracked corn) until tender and creamy. This humble one-pot meal is everyday comfort food across the country, often eaten as a main course or alongside a green vegetable like morogo.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 320 kcalCalories
• 6 gFat
• 1 gSaturated Fat
• 55 gCarbs
• 12 gFiber
• 4 gSugar
• 14 gProtein
• 480 mgSodium
• 620 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 8 mgVitamin C
• 50 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Beans and Corn

• 1 cup dried sugar beans (or cowpeas), soaked overnight and drained
• 1 cup samp (cracked white maize)
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp salt

For the Aromatics

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp mild curry powder (optional)

For the Greens

• 2 cups morogo (wild spinach) or baby spinach, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Drain the soaked beans and combine them with the samp, 4 cups water, and 1 tsp salt in a large heavy pot; bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding hot water in 1/2 cup increments as needed to keep the grains submerged.
3. While the beans and corn cook, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Add the garlic, tomato, curry powder (if using), salt, and pepper to the skillet; cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato breaks down into a thick sauce.
5. Stir the aromatic tomato mixture into the bean and corn pot, mixing well so the flavors combine.
6. Cover and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, until the beans are fully tender and the samp is soft but still slightly chewy.
7. Fold in the chopped morogo or spinach, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
8. The final texture should be thick and porridge-like but still moist; if it is too dry, stir in a little hot water, or if too wet, simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot in deep bowls, traditionally accompanied by a side of morogo or a meat stew.

Cook’s Notes

• Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water and discard the soaking liquid to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility.
• In Botswana, mixed dry packs of beans, samp, and sometimes cowpeas sold as "dikgobe mix" are widely available and work perfectly in this recipe.
• For a faster version, cook the beans and samp in a pressure cooker for about 25 minutes on high pressure instead of simmering on the stovetop.
• The stew thickens considerably as it cools; loosen leftovers with a splash of water when reheating on the stove.
• Add a handful of peanuts during the last 30 minutes of cooking for extra richness and protein, a common home-style variation.

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