Wahaŋpi — bison broth with timpsila
A deep broth of bison meat simmered long with timpsila, the wild turnip of the Plains that women dug up and braided to dry. Simple, nourishing, it is the everyday meal.
A deep broth of bison meat simmered long with timpsila, the wild turnip of the Plains that women dug up and braided to dry. Simple, nourishing, it is the everyday meal.
Listen, you who come from afar. The pté, the female bison, gives us everything — her flesh, her fat, her bones full of marrow. My mother dug the earth with a pointed stick to pull out the timpsila, then she braided the roots for winter. We let the pot speak softly over the fire, long, without haste. When a child was hungry, we served him before the warrior: a man who eats while the little one cries is not a man.
- •Bison meat (shoulder, shank) — a good portion (base, protein)
- •Timpsila (dried prairie turnip) — a handful of roots (starch, thickener)
- •Bison bone marrow — according to bones (richness, fat)
- •Wild Plains onion — a few bulbs (aromatic)
- •Spring water — enough to cover (broth)
Wahaŋpi — bison broth with timpsila
A deep broth of bison meat simmered long with timpsila, the wild turnip of the Plains that women dug up and braided to dry. Simple, nourishing, it is the everyday meal.
Why this dish? When the Oglala camp followed the herd in the valleys of the Rosebud and the Powder, it was this broth of bison and prairie turnip that warmed the warriors returning from the hunt. Crazy Horse, known for giving his portion to the hungry, ate sparingly from this common pot.
Listen, you who come from afar. The pté, the female bison, gives us everything — her flesh, her fat, her bones full of marrow. My mother dug the earth with a pointed stick to pull out the timpsila, then she braided the roots for winter. We let the pot speak softly over the fire, long, without haste. When a child was hungry, we served him before the warrior: a man who eats while the little one cries is not a man.
Ingredients (period version)
- Bison meat (shoulder, shank) — a good portion (base, protein)
- Timpsila (dried prairie turnip) — a handful of roots (starch, thickener)
- Bison bone marrow — according to bones (richness, fat)
- Wild Plains onion — a few bulbs (aromatic)
- Spring water — enough to cover (broth)
Ingredients
- Bison for braising (chuck or shank) — 600 g (base, protein)
- Turnip (if timpsila unavailable) — 3 small turnips (starch, thickener)
- Beef or bison marrow bones — 2 pieces (richness, fat)
- Small onions or spring onions — 4 (aromatic)
- Water — 1.5 L (broth)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Cut the bison into large cubes and place in a large pot with the marrow bones.
- Cover with cold water, bring to a simmer, and skim.
- Add the cut turnips and onions, cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours until the meat falls apart.
- Salt at the end of cooking, retrieve the marrow from the bones and stir it into the broth to thicken.
- Serve very hot in bowls, meat and broth together.
How it was made : In the old days, cooking was done in a bison hide pouch or a suspended stomach, with hot stones dropped in to boil the water (stone boiling), before cast-iron pots arrived through trade. Timpsila was a vital resource, dug up in spring and dried to last through winter.
The contemporary twist : Serve in an earthenware bowl with a marrow bone standing upright in the center, and a pinch of chopped wild onion on top.
Sources : Standing Bear, L., 'My People the Sioux' (1928) · Kindscher, K., 'Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie' (1987)
Crazy Horse · Charactorium