Beef slowly cooks in a dark, spiced sauce with cassareep, tomato and Madame Jeanette pepper. Serve this Surinamese pepperpot with rice to soak up the thick, syrupy sauce.
Cassareep gives pepperpot its distinctive dark colour and a flavour that is at once spiced, slightly sweet and savoury. It is a reduced cassava sauce that acts both as a seasoning and as an important part of the sauce in Surinamese pepperpot. Look for cassareep at a well-stocked Asian or Surinamese grocery store, and follow any instructions on the label. Even a small amount makes its presence known; adding more won’t automatically make the dish better.
In this version, beef takes centre stage. Chuck steaks or stewing beef contain connective tissue that gradually becomes tender during a long, gentle braise. Browning the meat on all sides first gives the sauce extra depth; after that, the pot should only simmer gently. Don’t boil pepperpot vigorously: the liquid could evaporate too quickly before the meat is tender. By the end, the sauce should be dark and glossy, but still easy to spoon over the rice.
Onion, garlic and tomato make a hearty base, while allspice and cloves add warmth. The Madame Jeanette pepper brings fragrance and heat. Leave the pepper whole and don’t pierce it if you mainly want its aroma; lightly crush it or cut it open for more heat. Remove it from the pot before serving and taste the sauce. The heat varies from pepper to pepper, so if you want to start cautiously, remove it sooner.
There’s no easy substitute for cassareep that will give you the same flavour. Ketjap, soy sauce or molasses can add colour, but they change the character of the dish, so don’t use them as equivalent substitutes. If cassareep isn’t available, it’s better to choose a different stew than a pepperpot that only resembles one in name. Salted meat or chicken is included alongside beef in some versions, but this recipe keeps beef at the centre and the sauce true to its character.
Serve the pepperpot with cooked white rice. It’s mild enough not to overpower the spiced sauce and soaks up the liquid well. A fresh cucumber or cabbage salad can be served alongside for crunch, but it isn’t part of the stew itself. Cool leftovers quickly, store them covered in the fridge, and reheat them thoroughly in a pan; add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick as it reheats.
Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a heavy-based Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides in batches. Transfer the meat temporarily to a plate.
Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato and cook for another 4 minutes, until the pieces start to break down.
Return the meat to the pan. Add the whole Madame Jeanette pepper, allspice, cloves, cassareep, water and salt. Stir well and bring gently to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and set the lid askew on the pan. Simmer gently for 2½ to 3 hours; stir occasionally and check that the pan isn’t cooking dry. Add a splash of water if needed. The meat is ready when it falls apart easily.
Towards the end of the braising time, cook the rice according to the package instructions. Remove the Madame Jeanette pepper and cloves from the pepperpot. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. If the sauce is thin, simmer the stew uncovered for a few more minutes to reduce it.
Serve the pepperpot with the rice, spooning the dark sauce over the meat.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.