Southern Africa · Street food
Zvinyenze (Braided Offal and Intestine Skewers)
Smoky, crisped beef tripe and liver intricately wrapped and braided with small intestines, chargrilled over red-hot wood coals.
The story
In high-density suburbs like Highfield and Chitungwiza, zvinyenze is the reigning champion of nighttime braai stands situated right outside bottle stores. The craft lies in the butcher's intricate braiding technique (kuruka), where slender ribbons of tender tripe, suet, and liver are tightly wound with thoroughly cleaned small intestines to lock in melting juices. Charred over aromatic mopane or acacia wood fires, the exterior becomes delightfully crisp while the interior retains succulent, deeply savory complexity.
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