The {Page-Turner-Cookbook} featuring
namibia Is My Kitchen
NAMIBIA Breakfast Appetizers & Soups
NAMIBIA Main Dishes
liquid Measures
Weight & temperature Measures
non-liquid ingredients
Top 5 countries
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Kapana - Namibian grilled beef strips
Mopane worms-caterpillars
Namibian spice blend - kapana spice recipe
Potjie stew
NAMIBIA Desserts
Mopane worms-caterpillars
Namibian spice blend - kapana spice recipe
Potjie stew
Weight & temperature Measures
non-liquid ingredients
Top 5 countries
Last Page
Namibian cuisine is a rich blend of indigenous traditions and colonial influences, featuring a variety of meats, grains, and unique local ingredients.
Key Dishes and Ingredients
1. Mahangu Pap (Oshithima): A staple food made from pearl millet flour, this gluten-free porridge is commonly served with stews, vegetables, or meat. It is particularly significant in the Oshiwambo culture and is a key part of daily meals in northern Namibia.
2. Kapana: This popular street food consists of grilled beef or game meat, often served with chili and salsa. It is a must-try for anyone visiting Namibia.
3. Biltong: A beloved snack, biltong is dried, spiced, and cured meat, typically made from beef or game like kudu. It is similar to beef jerky but has a unique flavor profile that makes it a favorite among locals.
4. Potjiekos: A slow-cooked stew made in a three-legged pot, potjiekos often includes game meat and a variety of vegetables, reflecting both local and South African culinary influences.
5. Mopane Worms: Considered a delicacy, these protein-rich caterpillars are harvested, dried, and cooked, often served as a snack or side dish.
6. Oodhingu: A traditional method of preserving meat by drying it in the sun, oodhingu can be made from various meats, including goat and game.
7. Bratwurst and Brötchen: Reflecting German influence, bratwurst sausages are commonly enjoyed in Namibia, often served in a bread roll known as brötchen.
Cultural Influences Namibian cuisine is shaped by its diverse cultures, including the Ovambo, Himba, and Herero peoples, as well as colonial influences from German and British settlers. This blend results in a unique culinary landscape that emphasizes strong flavors, hearty ingredients, and traditional cooking methods.
Key Dishes and Ingredients
1. Mahangu Pap (Oshithima): A staple food made from pearl millet flour, this gluten-free porridge is commonly served with stews, vegetables, or meat. It is particularly significant in the Oshiwambo culture and is a key part of daily meals in northern Namibia.
2. Kapana: This popular street food consists of grilled beef or game meat, often served with chili and salsa. It is a must-try for anyone visiting Namibia.
3. Biltong: A beloved snack, biltong is dried, spiced, and cured meat, typically made from beef or game like kudu. It is similar to beef jerky but has a unique flavor profile that makes it a favorite among locals.
4. Potjiekos: A slow-cooked stew made in a three-legged pot, potjiekos often includes game meat and a variety of vegetables, reflecting both local and South African culinary influences.
5. Mopane Worms: Considered a delicacy, these protein-rich caterpillars are harvested, dried, and cooked, often served as a snack or side dish.
6. Oodhingu: A traditional method of preserving meat by drying it in the sun, oodhingu can be made from various meats, including goat and game.
7. Bratwurst and Brötchen: Reflecting German influence, bratwurst sausages are commonly enjoyed in Namibia, often served in a bread roll known as brötchen.
Cultural Influences Namibian cuisine is shaped by its diverse cultures, including the Ovambo, Himba, and Herero peoples, as well as colonial influences from German and British settlers. This blend results in a unique culinary landscape that emphasizes strong flavors, hearty ingredients, and traditional cooking methods.
Appetizer Oshifima-stiff porridge 
Namibian staple made from mahangu flour (millet flour), maize meal or a mixture of both and water in just 10 minutes. Tastes great served with Oshikandela (soured milk), grilled meat, vegetables- or meat stews.
Serves: 2
40 g/1,4 oz/ ¼ cup/ 3 tbs fine maize meal (cornmeal)
45 g/ 1,6 oz/ 1/3 cup/ 3 tbs mahangu flour (pearl millet flour)
a pinch of salt to taste
Serves: 2
Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time:10 minutes
400 ml/ 1 2/3 cups/ 13,5 fl oz water40 g/1,4 oz/ ¼ cup/ 3 tbs fine maize meal (cornmeal)
45 g/ 1,6 oz/ 1/3 cup/ 3 tbs mahangu flour (pearl millet flour)
a pinch of salt to taste
Heat the pot with water over medium heat until lukewarm. Add maize meal and a pinch of salt and stir well.
Stir occasionally until the mixture starts to boil and bubble. Let cook for about 2 minutes.
Slowly add millet flour with the left hand while stirring with the right hand. Stir very fast with power, while holding the handle of the pot with one hand and the other hand is busy stirring until you have a smooth consistency.
Reduce the heat and let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir very well once more. Lift up the pot and flip Oshifima onto the plate.
Stir occasionally until the mixture starts to boil and bubble. Let cook for about 2 minutes.
Slowly add millet flour with the left hand while stirring with the right hand. Stir very fast with power, while holding the handle of the pot with one hand and the other hand is busy stirring until you have a smooth consistency.
Reduce the heat and let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir very well once more. Lift up the pot and flip Oshifima onto the plate.
Main Kapana - Namibian grilled beef strips
Kapana, Namibian grilled beef Strips over open fire is one of the most popular street foods in Namibia.
Serves: 8
2 teaspoons kapana spice mix
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
Serves: 8
Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time:10 minutes
1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) well marbled beef steak 2 teaspoons kapana spice mix
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
Cut the meat into long interconnected strips.
Place the beef strips, in a casserole dish or similar. Add kapana spice and oil. Using your hands rub the meat very well. Cover with cling film and chill for about 1 hour. In the meantime, make the fire and let the grill heat up.
About 10 minutes before grilling the meat take the meat out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature.
Next place the meat on the grill, our grill had about 175 °C (347 °F). After about 3 minutes turn the strips and grill on the other side for 3 minutes. Then turn it again and grill for about 2 minutes. Turn and grill again und grill for about 2 minutes or until the meat has perfect shear marks.
Kapana tastes best grilled over the fire, but can also be made in the oven and on an electric grill and it still tasted delicious.
What to serve Namibian style grilled meat with:
Yellow rice with raisins
Tomato sauce and these incredible easy fat cakes
Hot millet pap or mielie pap
Beetroot and feta salad
Place the beef strips, in a casserole dish or similar. Add kapana spice and oil. Using your hands rub the meat very well. Cover with cling film and chill for about 1 hour. In the meantime, make the fire and let the grill heat up.
About 10 minutes before grilling the meat take the meat out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature.
Next place the meat on the grill, our grill had about 175 °C (347 °F). After about 3 minutes turn the strips and grill on the other side for 3 minutes. Then turn it again and grill for about 2 minutes. Turn and grill again und grill for about 2 minutes or until the meat has perfect shear marks.
Kapana tastes best grilled over the fire, but can also be made in the oven and on an electric grill and it still tasted delicious.
What to serve Namibian style grilled meat with:
Yellow rice with raisins
Tomato sauce and these incredible easy fat cakes
Hot millet pap or mielie pap
Beetroot and feta salad
Main Mopane worms-caterpillars
Caterpillars are found and collected from mopane trees during the rainy seasons, hence the name mopane worms. They are an exotic and crispy delicacy.
To make this delicious dish, you first boil mopane worms in boiling water to soften them.
Once softened, the worms are traditionally pan-fried with tomatoes, onions, and chilies, until they are crispy.
Serves: 4
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Serves: 4
Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time:25 minutes
1 cup dried mopane worms2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Soak the dried mopane worms in water for 30 minutes to rehydrate.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions until golden.
Add tomatoes, chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
Add the mopane worms and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions until golden.
Add tomatoes, chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
Add the mopane worms and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Main Namibian spice blend - kapana spice recipe
Kapana spice is a spicy and flavorful Namibian spice blend, that's mostly used in many Namibian dishes such as kapana - grilled meat that's cut into strips.
Serves: 20
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Serves: 20
Preparation time:5 minutes
Namibian all purpose BBQ spice blend:1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all the ingredients together.
The kapana spice mix will keep for months if stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
Let the rub infuse for a few days for the flavors to meld together before using.
The kapana spice mix will keep for months if stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
Let the rub infuse for a few days for the flavors to meld together before using.
Main Potjie stew
Potjiekos, which translates to small pot food recipe comes from Namibia and South Africa and is their version of a traditional stew with meat, starch, and veggies or whatever they had on hand and in season.
Serves: 4
3 onions, chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound of fresh mushrooms, whole
2 pounds stewing beef (bone on), cut into chunks
1 pound mixture of your favorite beans: sugar beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, haricot beans, black-eyed beans, all work well.
If using dried beans, soak overnight. If canned, drain and rinse before adding them to the pot.
4 carrots, roughly chopped, and other seasonal vegetables of your choice
12 baby potatoes
2 cans of creamed corn (mealies)
2 cups beef stock
Mixed herbs to your taste (about 3 tablespoons). like thyme, oregano, and rosemary, but feel free to experiment.
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
Serves: 4
Preparation time:30 minutes
Cooking time:2 hours
2 tablespoons butter or oil3 onions, chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound of fresh mushrooms, whole
2 pounds stewing beef (bone on), cut into chunks
1 pound mixture of your favorite beans: sugar beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, haricot beans, black-eyed beans, all work well.
If using dried beans, soak overnight. If canned, drain and rinse before adding them to the pot.
4 carrots, roughly chopped, and other seasonal vegetables of your choice
12 baby potatoes
2 cans of creamed corn (mealies)
2 cups beef stock
Mixed herbs to your taste (about 3 tablespoons). like thyme, oregano, and rosemary, but feel free to experiment.
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
Braise onions and mushrooms in butter and flavored salt (Ah, the sizzle! The aroma!)
Add chili and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes. Try not to eat it yet.
Add beef, cover the pot, and let it steam for 5 minutes. No peeking!
Toss in carrots, potatoes, and other veggies. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes.
Add beans, sweet corn, beef stock, mixed herbs, and the red wine. Cover the pot.
Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir well.
Cook for 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender Add the mushrooms about 20 minutes before serving.
Serve over rice or pasta. Or use crusty loaf of freshly baked bread.
Add chili and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes. Try not to eat it yet.
Add beef, cover the pot, and let it steam for 5 minutes. No peeking!
Toss in carrots, potatoes, and other veggies. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes.
Add beans, sweet corn, beef stock, mixed herbs, and the red wine. Cover the pot.
Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir well.
Cook for 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender Add the mushrooms about 20 minutes before serving.
Serve over rice or pasta. Or use crusty loaf of freshly baked bread.
Dessert Namibian fried dough
Serves: 10
Preparation time:50 minutes
Cooking time:10 minutes
3 cups flour2 teaspoons salt
2 packets of quick rise yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 3/4 cups of water +/-
Oil for frying
Mix flour yeast sat and sugar together in a bowl
Mix the vinegar into the water and pour over the dry ingredients
Mix together until a soft dough forms
Mix well to remove any possible lumps
Add water as needed.
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until double
Heat oil until hot in a heavy based sauce pan.
Take spoonfuls of dough about the size of a ping pong ball and drop into the hot oil.
Cook until golden and flip so they are browned all around.
Serve hot with jam, confectioners sugar, roll in cinnamon and sugar, peanut butter, cheese, or just plain.
Mix the vinegar into the water and pour over the dry ingredients
Mix together until a soft dough forms
Mix well to remove any possible lumps
Add water as needed.
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until double
Heat oil until hot in a heavy based sauce pan.
Take spoonfuls of dough about the size of a ping pong ball and drop into the hot oil.
Cook until golden and flip so they are browned all around.
Serve hot with jam, confectioners sugar, roll in cinnamon and sugar, peanut butter, cheese, or just plain.
conversion of liquids
Weights
Temperatures
Measures of non liquid ingredients
Non-liquid ingredients in volume converted
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ingredient |
1 cup |
3/4 cup |
2/3 cup |
1/2 cup |
1/3 cup |
1/4 cup |
2 tablespoons |
| All-purpose wheat flour | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| All-purpose sifted wheat flour | 110 g | 80 g | 70 g | 55 g | 35 g | 27 g | 13 g |
| White sugar | 200 g | 150 g | 130 g | 100 g | 65 g | 50 g | 25 g |
| Powdered sugar/Icing sugar | 100 g | 75 g | 70 g | 50 g | 35 g | 25 g | 13 g |
| Brown sugar normally packed | 180 g | 135 g | 120 g | 90 g | 60 g | 45 g | 23 g |
| Corn flour | 160 g | 120 g | 100 g | 80 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Cornstarch | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| Rice (not-cooked) | 190 g | 140 g | 125 g | 95 g | 65 g | 48 g | 24 g |
| Macaroni (uncooked) | 140 g | 100 g | 90 g | 70 g | 45 g | 35 g | 17 g |
| Couscous (uncooked) | 180 g | 135 g | 120 g | 90 g | 60 g | 45 g | 22 g |
| Quick oatmeal (uncooked) | 90 g | 65 g | 60 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22 g | 11 g |
| Table salt | 300 g | 230 g | 200 g | 150 g | 100 g | 75 g | 40 g |
| Butter / Margarine | 240 g | 180 g | 160 g | 120 g | 80 g | 60 g | 30 g |
| Shortening | 190 g | 140 g | 125 g | 95 g | 65 g | 48 g | 24 g |
| Fruits and légumes chopped | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| chopped walnuts | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Nuts /ground almonds | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| Fresh bread crumbs (not packed) | 60 g | 45 g | 40 g | 30 g | 20 g | 15 g | 8 g |
| Dry bread crumbs | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Parmesan grated | 90 g | 65 g | 60 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22 g | 11 g |
| Chocolate chips | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 38 g | 19 g |
As the sun rises or sets in
NAMIBIA
"May every sunrise hold more promise, and every sunset hold more peace."
The {Page Turner} E-Cookbooks
Library on a world cooking journey
6 Recipes
4 Main dishes
