Goraasa be Dama: Sudanese Beef Stew over Easy Flatbread

/

A little over a month ago, I received an e-mail in my Diet Assassinista inbox asking me to make Sudanese food from a very nice Instagrammer named Moyassar. Now, I am quite familiar with food from Ethiopia and Eritrea, which are nearby, but never even thought to cook food from Sudan. There’s a first time for everything, I guess!

With Moyassar’s suggestion, I knew I would be in for a treat, but didn’t even know where to look for Sudanese recipes. So I asked him what I should make and he knew right away: Goraasa be Dama! Goraasa is a quick flatbread and dama is a beef stew. 

Moyassar sent me a link to a couple Lazeez Haalis recipes, which I adapted them after researching several other methods. Then, I decided to make it all. And you know what? The meal was fantastic!

The stew itself is not unlike beef stew that we’re used to in the West, but it does take a lot less time to cook. Plus, the spices and peppers make it more interesting than beef stew. Instead of serving the stew as a soup, this stew is served a little thicker, like a curry, over amazing bread! 

And that flatbread. Wow. Goraasa is so easy to make! I’ve made several quick flatbreads and this is my far the easiest flatbread recipe I’ve ever made. Even if you’re making Indian food and you forget to pick up some naan at the store, I suggest making Goraasa in its place because it’s likely you’ll have all the ingredient in a well-stocked pantry.

So if you’re craving cuisine you haven’t tried before, this meal is definitely a great one  to make. Many thanks to Moyassar for pointing me in a fun and tasty direction!

Goraasa be Dama: Sudanese Beef Stew over Easy Flatbread

Time: 35 Minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 large yellow onions, chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb flat iron steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups water
5 small vine ripe tomatoes, chipped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3 serrano peppers, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon

Goraasa
500g whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 cups water
1 tsp Kosher salt

Directions
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and fry until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, steak, bell pepper, serranos, cardamom, and cinnamon. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, adding additional water if the sauce is too thick, and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the steak is cooked through and the peppers are tender. Keep warm.

To prepare the goraasa, sift whole wheat flour into a large mixing bowl. Add baking powder, salt, and stir in water to form a thick batter. 

Brush a medium cast-iron skillet or mitad with very thin layer of olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Pour in a ladle-full of batter and work quickly to flatten out with a spatula, shaping the bread into round. Flip when golden, and cook until golden on the opposite side. Repeat with remaining batter to make additional rounds.

Serve dama over goraasa and enjoy!