Are you ready for the next level of meat floss? Then, we present Dambu Nama, a dried shredded beef that is so delicious.
Northern Nigerian Beef Floss – versatile & tasty
This is a Northern Nigerian delicacy that is enjoyed by the majority. You can eat it as a snack or sprinkle it over rice, couscous, pasta, and much more. It is a great addition to any meal!
If you’re from the North of Nigeria, or if you’ve ever visited the Northern part of Nigeria, you might have had a chance to try Dambu nama.
This is one of those foods people look forward to eating when they go to the North, or you request it when you have a friend or family member visiting you from the North.
Another Northern delicacy you need to try out is Suya.
Beef floss can also be used as an ingredient in other dishes like soups or stews. You can use Dambu Nama as an ingredient in your meals or as a topping for salads, sandwiches, burgers, and even pizza! The possibilities are endless.
What is Dambu Nama?
Dambu nama is a delicious, dried shredded meat floss. The flavor is reminiscent of jerky but with a softer texture that you can enjoy on its own or mix into your favorite dishes.
It is made from beef and has a very unique taste and texture. The texture is chewy with a little bit of crunch, and its flavor is savory and delicious!
While beef, ram, and mutton are the meat types usually used for making this recipe, other meat types like pork, chicken, and turkey can also be used. However, since this recipe is from the northern part of Nigeria and most people from the north are predominately Muslims (who do not eat pork), floss made with pork is scarce.
Meat floss made with beef is called dambu nama, and when made with chicken it is called dambu kaza
How to make Dambu Nama
The best thing about beef floss? It’s really easy to make! All you have to do is:
season your beef very well
cook it until it becomes melt-in-the-mouth tender
shred it into little pieces
and then fry it until it becomes dried and crispy.
Easy peasy!
Notes
The meat needs to be very tender if cooking over the stovetop, you will need to cook between 11/2 to 3 hours on medium heat, depending on the quantity of beef you are using.
Make sure there is no liquid in the beef before shredding it otherwise, you might have some difficulty while frying it if the water content is too much.
Add very little salt in order to get the authentic Northern taste.
If you don’t want your meat floss finely shredded, you can use a fork or a stand mixer with the mixer paddle (on low setting) to shred it in place of the food processor.
The meat floss goes from dried to too dried in a bit, so be sure to keep an eye on it to over-dry it.
Trim off any visible fat or connective tissue from the meat and cut it into 2-inch cube and rinse thoroughly.
Blend the onion and peppers in a food processor. set aside.
Put them in a place the meat into an instant pot or other pressure cooker and add the onion and pepper mixture, powdered chicken stock, cloves, curry powder, thyme, ginger, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout your meat mixture.Note: Add water if you will be cooking it on the stovetop.
Cover the instant pot, seal the lid, and select 1 hour on high pressure. Cook for 2-3hours if cooking on the stovetop.
Once the meat is the meat fully cooked, remove them from the stock, and place them in a sieve to drain any excess liquid. Place the drained meat in the food processor and blend using the pulse button – about 6 to 8 pulses. You can also pound this with a mortar and pestle if you don't have a food processor.
Add the oil to a large nonstick pan, and add the shredded beef. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring constantly while also trying to separate the beef as much as possible with a wooden spoon. Fry in batches for the best result.
Remove from heat immediately after it's dry (it burns easily). It should take about 15 minutes (a little more or less).
Allow it to cool before enjoying it.
You can store this in an air-tight container and leave it in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Enjoy!
We can see from this dish the deep influences Nigerian food culture has had on Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisine both of which have a dish called “carne frita” which is almost identical to this meat floss recipe of course spices being different but the basic technique identical! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Chris
Sunday 27th of June 2021
We can see from this dish the deep influences Nigerian food culture has had on Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisine both of which have a dish called “carne frita” which is almost identical to this meat floss recipe of course spices being different but the basic technique identical! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Lola Osinkolu
Friday 24th of September 2021
Wow! This is good to know!!