Cowpea And Beef Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 cup cowpeas
• 2 teaspoon olive or canola oil
• 750 g stewing beef on the bone, cut into cubes and excess fat removed
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks with the leaves, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 4 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (1 litre) strong rooibos tea
• 3 ripe tomatoes, cubed
• 300 g cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 large spinach leaves, cut into strips
• lemon juice and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. place cowpeas in a large bowl and cover with 3 cups (750 ml) cold water. soak overnight, drain and rinse.
2. heat the oil in a large pot and fry meat until brown. spoon out.
3. fry onions, celery and carrots in the pot for a few minutes. add ginger, garlic, dried herbs, cloves and bay leaves and fry for another few minutes.
4. add the beans, meat, salt and tea and stir through. simmer with a lid for 1½-2 hours or until the meat and beans are cooked.
5. stir in the tomatoes, cauliflower and spinach and simmer with a lid for 15-20 minutes or until just cooked. season with lemon juice and pepper and stir in the parsley.
6. serve with a green salad or lightly cooked green veggies.