In Botswana, beef isn’t just food – it’s part of who we are. Every Motswana (a person from Botswana) dreams of owning cattle. In fact, owning cows is more than just wealth – it’s heritage, identity, and pride.

Botswana is known as a beef country. Our cattle roam freely on open land, feeding on natural grass, and this gives our beef its rich, authentic flavor. We even export our beef to Europe! But at home, nothing beats our own traditional way of enjoying it: seswaa.

 What is Seswaa?

Seswaa is Botswana’s most loved beef dish. It’s a simple but flavorful meal made by pounding cooked beef until it’s shredded and soft. Traditionally, it’s made for special occasions like weddings, national celebrations, or Sunday lunch with family.

 How to Make Seswaa – Traditional Recipe

Ingredients:

·         - 1.5–2 kg beef (with bone for more flavor)

·         - Salt (to taste)

·         - Water

Instructions:

1. Boil the beef: In a large pot, add your beef, a bit of salt, and enough water to cover the meat. Boil for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is soft and falling off the bone.
2. Drain and pound: Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot, place it in a large wooden mortar (kika  ya seswaa), and pound it using a large pestle (motshe). If you don’t have traditional tools, you can shred it with forks.
3. Serve hot: Serve your seswaa with bogobe (maize meal porridge) or rice. Many love it with a tomato and onion relish on the side.

Did You Know?

In Setswana culture, cattle are so important that we say:
“Kgomo ke banka ya Motswana”
(A cow is the bank of a Motswana)

That’s how deeply cows are tied to our lives, our celebrations, and of course – our food.

 Setswana Words to Learn

·         - Mashi – Milk

·         - Nama – Meat

·         - Kgomo – Cow

·         - Namane – Calf

·         - Lesaka – Kraal (where cattle sleep)

·         - Moraka – Cattle post (a place in the bush where cows are raised)

 Try seswaa next weekend and tag us with your results!
#LearnSetswana #SeswaaSaturday #BotswanaCuisine