HOW TO COOK A ZEBRA

Note: One of my long-time correspondents reminded me of the stuff I used to write on the Suriname mailing-list, in the days when ethnography, cuisine, and linguistics all combined into a heady stew - a stew flavoured with Dutch, Indonesian, English, Sranangtongo, and scraps of Sarnami Hindi. Surinamers represent some of the most broad-minded speakers of Dutch, with wide ranging interests, residing in a multitude of countries and climates. There are probably some living near you. Which is a blessing.

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Dennis wrote: "In de trant van' how to cook zebra' ;-)."

You flatter me, my dear man. But, purely coincidentally, I do have some expertise in that field (having several years ago been associated with a company that sold bush meats).
So, here goes.

Zebra tastes rather like horse, being quite lean, but it can have a slight gaminess – remember, this is a wild animal.

It can be tough, and will definitely benefit from braising or stewing, although Boers may think it suitable for grilling - Boers think everything is suitable for grilling. Everything. If they made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, they would grill them. Darned Braaivlees freaks.

You should be able to find zebra steaks and haunch cuts without too much trouble. All the recipes below can also be done with buffalo.




BRAISED ZEBRA

Two pounds of zebra, cut into chunks.
One pound tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped.
Two onions, chopped.
Two TBS flour.
One Tsp. paprika.
Pinches salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander, cayenne.
One cup browned bone stock.
Quarter cup olive oil.
Quarter cup heavy cream.
A good jigger of sherry.


Fry the onion golden in the oil and remove to a plate.
Dust the meat with flour, salt, and pepper, and brown in oil. Add tomatoes and onions, stir briefly to take up the crusty bits on the bottom of the pan, then add the sherry, stock, and spices. Simmer until tender, which may take a while if the beast was old. Before serving, whisk in the heavy cream.
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MABOKAY

Two pounds of zebra, cut into chunks.
Two cups of crumbled roasted peanuts.
Two large onions, chopped.
Juice from one or two lemons.
Half a dozen chopped green chilies.
Plantain leaf – one or two whole leaves.


Cook the peanuts, meat, and onion with a little water for about twenty minutes. It should be a stiff glop.
Take a leaf and pull off the central rib (cut across the rib, flip the edge of the blade underneath the rib, and pull). Trim the leaf to a large rectangle. Sprinkle some salt on the leaf, and place the meat mixture on one side. Flavour it with the lemon juice and chilies.
Now fold over all ends to make a secure package within several layers of plantain leaf, and tie it up like a postage parcel. Place on a rack in a large pot and steam for over an hour.
Unwrap at the table and serve with corn mush.
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ZEBRA STAMPOT

Two pounds of zebra, cut into chunks.
Two onions, chopped.
Two tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped.
Two green plantain, peeled and chunked.
Two sweet potatoes, chunked.
Two large regular potatoes, chunked.
Two or three chilies, minced.
One can (one and half cup) coconut milk (santen).
One or two cups browned bone stock.
Minced garlic, ginger.
Salt, pepper, plus pinches of ground clove and nutmeg.


Rub the garlic, ginger, chilies, salt, and pepper into the meat, and let it rest for one or two hours in the refrigerator.
Then brown it in a heavy casserole with a little oil. When it is well gilded, add the stock and spices, simmer for an hour.
Then add the vegetables and scant water to cover. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, then mash everything with a potato masher. If using meat on the bone from an odd cut, it would be a good idea to remove it from the bones before mashing. Mix in the coconut milk before serving.
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ZEBRA MYEMBWE

Two pounds of zebra, cut into chunks.
Two onions, chopped.
Half a dozen tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped.
One pound of spinach or chard, washed and chopped.
One cup of Myembwe sauce (moambé sauce, nyembwe sauce, or canned palm soup base aka sauce graine).
Juice of one or two lemons.
Garlic, ginger, chilies – minced.
Olive oil.
Pinch of salt.


Mix lemon juice with garlic, salt, and chilies. Wet meat with this and allow to marinate for an hour.
Brown the onions in a large casserole, then add the meat and brown also.
Add the tomatoes and water to generously cover, simmer for about an hour (longer if it was a tough old beast). Then add the chopped greens and the myembwe sauce, and cook till the vegetables are mooshy.

Serve with fried plantains and fufu or rice.

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Please note: all of the dishes above can well be served with sakasaka (manioc greens).

I have a posting about manioc greens here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2006/10/sakasaka-witiman-witiman.html


Feedback will be appreciated.




-----ATBOTH.




Update as of 2017: cooking zebra in rendang is excellent, but it is rather unsuitable for satay. Zebra mince ball curry is also very good, but unlike goat it benefits from additional fatty stuff thrown into the grinder.

White rice and Mother-in-law's Tongue Chutney alongside.



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