This is my first time posting to Foodies Bee Hive.

I have been blessed with friends from very diverse cultures and with that comes trying different foods which has become a huge part of my learning experiences.

Today I will share with you, the preparation of Madombies and Maokane Grass Fed Beef in Botswana.


![00 DC747E90-3F84-4B3D-AE3C-1811C08E0206.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23w2ithy3WshMtdNnep5Y7qCFoQXyWyM5Da1PFmqLLPzoeZExSrLZL5HFya3MxirH1sEB.JPEG)

One thing that I learned out here was using what you have to get things done. There is no butchery to cut meat up so an ax it was which was very effective.


![02 zzzzzz71348A31-942E-49A3-AB86-B5A38EAD3B5D.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23xKvcgmBjkPHDqKVS6phoph4sfbFbqqHo94GnKb6UK3cBaoKtkL3fSV2EFzjrk78H3Ny.JPEG)

The meat is 100% natural which is what I prefer, free range, eating grass, growing up healthy. You can see the results of this in the rich colour of the meat with healthy fat. With lack of cooling facilities in the area, the produce needs to be consumed by the community fairly fast to avoid spoiling.

![01 3 6A82F6DC-65CF-41C3-BB98-EC6372BC975D.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23wCA65zj1NcLtCJAsm4LQFdKDwshEfxazavvPnUy19KnKeFcb1JtuXdEvkqAk1KquoDe.JPEG)

The meat was placed in a black pot to cook in water, salt and some spices while the Madombies are prepared. Cooking together often brings joy with a lot of laughs.


![03 B039B26E-1772-4D7F-98A5-E98E2963BA59.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23ynSZw4ouYHZhLfKbNWeDuUG8ZyZ3j7Ff1FwZdYHP7Gak1kaZTtp8MTEAKZpRriuduEx.JPEG)

Madombies are made by mixing flour, baking powder, salt and water to create a dough. A messy job but well worth it at the end.


![04 5BBB30BB-82CA-437E-AD6A-8E71C4B96771.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23vsNAesgEGvTFniSRte1iuiF2gv8WNFymjMQy2Pii1jdBHg8FRaR2pMaEtby9FcjZxap.JPEG)

They are rolled into flat dough balls and placed on top of the meat to absorb the flavours of the gravy that had already been cooking for about an hour.

![06 086BAAD3-9AF3-44BB-8D02-EF40613DD4D2.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/EonmWhFZp6g5rjLa5KnBDQPedA8FXwzTyWGijPYbsmwnB7597CJ3jAVF6tWBFkwXfon.JPEG)

It is hard to describe the heat in this place. My friends are more accustomed to the intensity of the hot dry air than me though I will take the heat over the cold any day. This was relaxing to sit and wait for our food to cook.


![5B185589-9D2D-4C47-91DE-AB34ED2AABBE.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/EoK8Hdaw7gjiW3GwKUoCSxdQWe1JDYRv5eAvjeDPYEERofyePaax37szCZHK7qHoX2P.JPEG)



Over the course of 2 hours the Madombies are turned periodically to ensure they are cooked evenly on both sides.

![05 49E7A14F-EBB3-47A5-BA34-DA578D43ECE3.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23tmL4NqPZFqAzNwwyXMbe4m3vgqnRdh7b2gqKzcxERo4Wzw4JFrZPduaryW4Rrai5Btn.JPEG)

I was told that they are ready when they have risen a little like normal bread and no longer a dough type texture, there are little bubbles that form in the Madombie like other types of bread.

![07 2 3E56A033-64AD-4C5E-A63C-568F0739EEC8.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23vi3wbbkT5UQToEJQx3nn3zN6ea7jGKgwpPWcCaZfKzWDJUUjmoL8pPdt4zUZqMMnFik.JPEG)

The food is plated once it is cooked and we are ready to eat.

![08 68264443-66EE-4AEB-8F6C-FD45DF0B1901.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/EogMQ3fQDuj2mnuYbBSwg4eZyPTH5qkivZrRhD5SFmtpzEnGJ8g3sywY5iuhFywjxqk.JPEG)

Cabbage and some vegetables from the garden are cooked on the stove to go with the meal.

![09 E1D5E2D0-B340-4210-8564-99E9A0ACD04F.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23tmFdYbJKXWtiySm9A4paQWDndMTZ5nPh9ZDVZz6tXm66GPuGw6CYd6efdr7QTdVXj6w.JPEG)

We eat with our hands to it is customary to wash our hands before eating. This has created laughs with me and my friends as it is not tradition in my custom to eat with my hands, I do prefer this so tend to get over excited.

![C2C50017-506C-4270-BD92-AC63D1F7B5CF.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23zGeVqGfLao7br9PPvM7tCbes5mrQWkb95GcmL4wij7rNFM2bKFt6n7ffJ4EkMRJH34q.JPEG)

We ate in the lounge to escape the now midday heat.

![10 1FE7B3EF-92B5-40AB-9EB6-65886B2D9710.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/EoGxprPpxXKZ16BjUYd8czkKCGQGsMp4DJ2Kcof56EgAX4hw8ngXpbk9wGrtL1Wq8p2.JPEG)

Here you can see the perfectly cooked Madombi which complimented our meal so well. Even though it is cooked in the broth the inside is fairly dry with a wet coating. The beef was really tender when cooked with an amazing flavour.

![11 z06CDE730-BCD4-48BF-B974-F5ED6242983F.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/23vhwj62tLxRkGx91sYsW8hrvMLwtNHFY2iop37vtsSow8cAxVJ4VxVSMP5FwrbSEN3Fy.JPEG)

A photo of us just enjoying the meal that filled us up to until the next morning. 

![13 EF4C3B00-2EC0-4973-B64B-05B9F999EBD2.JPEG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/serowa/241tT8UFb9DkqFouY78Si6qsWLJXAZUv4hsoanDa9hPHxCjyT7LkZX9k1wFgci1Lufb5c.JPEG)

Thank you for reading my first post to Foodies Bee Hive. I will share more food experiences from my trips and some of the concoctions that I make at home from our wide variety of home grown food. 

[//]:# (!pinmapple -24.896155 lat 24.627185 long  d3scr)