Around the World in 80 Dishes: Namibia

A few years back, I prepared a street food dish, known as Coupe Coupe, as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge to prepare a main dish from the country of Gabon. As one person noted, the dish combined indigenous ingredients and techniques with colonial influences. Yet, Coupe Coupe is quintessential Gabonnais barbecue, and a street food that one could find in places like Libreville.

When I finished that challenge, I remarked that I needed to prepare more street food as part of my Around the World culinary challenge. Now, I find myself with the challenge to prepare a main course from Namibia, a country that is approximately 2,700 kilometers south of Gabon along the Atlantic coastline of the African continent. And, there is perhaps no better dish to prepare than Kapana, the essential street food experience in Namibia.

Before I talk about Kapana, I must first talk about Namibia, one of the newer countries (having gained its independence in 1990) and one of the most sparsely populated ones (with only 3.1 million people living in a country with 824,292 kilometers) in the 34th largest country in world. (Namibia is larger than California and Montana, but smaller than Texas and, of course, Alaska.) The overwhelming majority of the population -- more than 93% -- are indigenous Africans, with the remainder consisting of groups associated with those who have colonized or sought to colonize the land in the past, such as Afrikaners, British, Dutch, and Portuguese. 

Colonization left its mark on the indigenous people in more ways than one. During the early twentioeth century, when the land was known as German South West Africa, the Germans committed genocide against the indigenous Herero peoples, killing 80% of them, and the Nama people, killing 50% of them). The survivors lost everything, and were subjected to forced labor, racial segregation and discrimination. While Germans lost control of the land after World War I, the South Africans moved in and took control of "South West Africa," imposing apartheid, separating the white  Afrikaaners from the indigenous peoples, with the latter living in the developing areas while the former were left outside. When independence came, Namibia transitioned into a stable parliamentary semi-presidential republic (that is, it has a President and a Prime Minister).

While the colonists are gone, their influences remain behind, especially in the cuisine of Namibia. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the culture that has developed around the grilling of meat, especially beef.  

At the meat market in Namibia (Source: Trip Advisor)

Beef has a special place Namibia. It is reported that there are nearly one million more cows in Namibia than people. Thus, cattle and beef play an important in the economy. In the past, cattle, along with sheep and goats, would be raised by Namibian corporations, as well as family farmers, and then sent to the abbatoir for butchering. The cuts would then make their way into the local market or be exported. However, in recent years, there has been a trend of exporting live cattle. One study suggested that the farms and farmers export the cattle perhaps because they could get higher prices from foreign buyers for younger cattle in countries like South Africa rather than butchering the beef locally. Yet, the same study suggested that fully grown cattle may fetch even higher prices at Namibian abbatoirs. Given Namibian farmers do not use growth enhancers, it takes longer for the cattle to grow, which suggests some farmers may just be looking to make money quicker than investing the time to fully raise the cows. This creates long term issues for the abbatoirs, which struggle to remain productive and profitable. 

While more cows may be headed out of the country, beef still plays a central role in Namibian cuisine. The per calorie intake of beef in Namibia is the highest in Africa, rivalling the intake of western countries like Canada. Indeed, much like a braai in South Africa, the grilling of meat is not just a preparation of a meal, it is a social and cultural event in Namibia. And it goes by the term ... kapana.

MAIN COURSE

And, for this culinary challenge, I have tasked myself with preparing kapana. One quick note to start: there appears to be some dispute over terminology. The word kapana means "fry" or "grill" in Oshiwambo (the language of the Ovambo people, an indigenous group in Namibia). Thus, it more than likely refers to the process, and perhaps even the marketplace where it is prepared. By contrast, the name for the grilled beef dish is otete.

The kapana, that is the marketplace, usually consists of a long line of stalls where each grill master works with their own charcoal grill. (The above picture illustrates such a market.) One cannot simply set up their own stand at the marketplace, as the stalls are regulated. However, individuals can set up their own kapana stalls, selling grilled pork, beef and other meats, in other locations. 

Kapana, the process, begins with the grill master (who are mostly men) acquiring a large cut of well marbled beef, along with perhaps some organ meat (like livers or kidneys). The exact cut of meat is typically a secret, for reasons that I will explain later. The grill master will then slice the meat against the grain into long, thin strips. The meat is then placed on the grill, usually without any seasoning, with the fat on top to keep the beef moist, and then cooked until it is at least medium. People get the grill masters attention and then order their meat as it cooks. Once it is done, the grill master will cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, which is then served alongside a salsa consisting of tomatoes, onions and chiles, and a small mound of kapana spice, which is usually in a cardboard box in front of the grill. As Stephanie Haines, a contributor to the Christian Science Monitor described the experience, "[w]hen it's cooked right, the beef is moist and smoky, the salty fat is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, like a grilled hunk of cheese. 

One final note: kapana is something that unites all Namibians, regardless of social or economic status. Grillmasters often incorporate cheaper cuts of beef along with the well-marbled ones, which helps to reduce their costs and offer their product to the less well off people in the community. People gather around the stalls, to talk and eat, making the marketplace an impropromptu gathering place. 

Oshetu Community Market (Source: Evendo.com) 

The place for kapana is the Oshetu Community Market (also known as Single Quarters). The market is located in Katutura, a township within Namibia's capital of Windhoek. The name, Katatura translates from Otjiherero, the language of the indigenous Hererero peoples, as "the place where people did not want to live." The township was not their home; the South Africans created it as part of their apartheid policies, forcibly removing indigenous Africans from their homes and relocating them to the township. Now, the township has the marketplaces where people go for kapana.  

As for me, I will be preparing kapana using my backyard grill. I found a recipe online and decided to use sirloin steak, as it was economical (relatively speaking) and produced long strips when sliced (relatively speaking). Given I was using a gas grill (as noted above, charcoal was preferred), I decided to use some of the kapana spice (recipe below) for a quick marinade of the meat. The spice mix incorporates smoked paprika, which helps to create the smoky elements of kapana when using a gas grill. It was a brief marinade, probably no more than 15 minutes, given I was dealing with thin slices of meat. As for the salsa, I decided to go with a jalapeno pepper for the chile, although I did give some thought to a Scotch Bonnet chile. If there had been serrano peppers at the store, I probably would have gone with those chiles. Needless to say, when I was done, the beef was amazing, both on its own, as well as with the salsa and some additional spice mix on the side. 

KAPANA (OTETE)

Recipe adapted from Esterkocht and International Cuisine

Serves 10

Ingredients (for the meat):

• 3 pounds of well marbled beef steak (like ribeye)
• 2 teaspoons Kapana spice mix
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil or olive oil

Ingredients (for the sauce/salsa):

• 2 tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 chile pepper (according to heat preference), minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:

1. Prepare the meat. Cut the meat into long, interconnected strips. Place the beef streps in a casserole dish. Add the kapana 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. 

2. Prepare the sauce/salsa. Combine all of the sauce/salsa ingredients together. Mix well and set aside.

3. Grill the meat. About 10 minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Place the meat on the grill (whose temperature should be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). grill for 3 minutes and then fip to the other side. Grill for another 3 minutes. Turn the meat again and grill for 2 minutes. Turn one more time and grill for two minutes. (These times may vary depending upon the thickness of the beef strips.) 

SPICE MIX

From what I have learned, the kapana spice mix is usually served alongside the kapana. However, some recipes (like the one I have included above) call for marinating the beef, albeit briefly, by spreading some of the spice mix over the meat. Given that is how I traditionally prepare meat for barbecue here in the United States, that seems like a reasonable approach, even if it takes us a little bit away from the traditional kapana in Namibia. 

Setting aside that issue, this spice mix is amazing. It has both smoky and spicy elements, which are rounded out with the use of ginger, coriander, and brown sugar. Quite frankly, it is better than many of the barbecue rubs that I have made or bought. This mix may well become my go to grilling spice mix going forward into the future. 

KAPANA SPICE MIX

Recipe from Esterkocht

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tabelspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well. Let the rub infuse for a few days for the flavors to med together before using. The spice mix will keep for a few months if sotred in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. 

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This challenge cemented the place of street food as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge. The kapana was amazing, perhaps the best beef dish that I have had in quite a while.  Not only that, it probably resulted in my go-to spice mix for pretty much anything that I grill or smoke. Now, I will be off to find some more street food recipes that can serve as challenges in the future. Until next time ...  

PEACE.