Thiou à la Viande

Description
The biggest bargain in Dakar was this stew everyone called "Chew." We found it in a tiny restaurant off on a side street seating just ten or twelve people, and the price was just 35 cents. Served in a huge enamel bowl, there was enough stew for three. It was delicious.

Ingredients

 * 1 cup chopped onions
 * 1 tbsp salt
 * ½ tsp black pepper, coarse-ground
 * ¼ tsp thyme, whole
 * ¼ tsp coriander seed
 * ¼ cup oil
 * 2 lbs stew beef in ½-inch cubes
 * 1 cup tomato paste
 * 3 cups water
 * ½ cup vinegar (white)
 * ½ lb white potatoes cut in 2-inch cubes
 * ½ lb white turnips, cut in 2 inch cubes
 * ½ lb sweet potatoes, cut in 2-inch cubes
 * 8 cabbage wedges, 1 inch wide at bottom of wedge (about 1 lb )

Directions

 * 1) In a 4-quart dutch oven, sauté onions, salt, pepper, thyme and coriander in ¼ cup oil, until onions are soft but not brown.
 * 2) Add stew beef cubes.
 * 3) Sauté for 5 minutes on all sides.
 * 4) Combine tomato paste, water and vinegar.
 * 5) Simmer with cover on until beef begins to become tender (about 1 hour).
 * 6) Add potato cubes, turnips cubes, sweet potatoes cubes and cabbage wedges.
 * 7) Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
 * 8) Cover and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.
 * 9) Arrange rice on large oval platter.
 * 10) Place meat and vegetables over the rice.