1 leg of lamb. Remove the fat and cut into squares.

   Reserve this and use for interspersing between the

   Meat cubes on the skewer. Cut the meat into 3 cm cubes,

   once the sinews have been removed

1 cup of dried apricots, softened in boiling water

4 onions cut into quarters, softened in the remaining water.

   (They may require boiling for 5 min)

Marinade or sauce

2 t ground coriander

10 lemon leaves, bruised

2 cups white wine vinegar

3 sticks cinnamon

4 cloves

1 cup red wine

3 T curry powder

3 cm fresh ginger, chopped

1 t ground allspice

3 T sugar

4 cloves crushed garlic

2 T apricot jam

1 T salt

2 t turmeric powder

2 cups tamarind water

100 g tamarind boiled in two cups water and strained. (The pulp is discarded)

2 T oil

Place the oil in a large saucepan and fry all the dry ingredients. Add the fresh ingredients and the liquids. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 min.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool.

Skewer the meats interspersed with the dried apricots, onions and fat. Arrange the skewered sosaties in a deep dish and cover with cooled marinade.

Allow the dish to stand overnight, before grilling the sosaties on a gridiron or braai.

The marinade can also be used as a sauce.

A rolled roti filled with giema, which is a mince curry

1 kg minced steak

2 T oil

2 chopped onions

3 cm chopped green ginger

3 cloves crushed garlic

3 green chillies, seedless and chopped

1 t Turmeric

6 Crushed cardamom

1 t salt

5 spring coriander leaves, chopped (dbania leaves)

½ t garam masala

½ cup water

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup green peas

Brown the onions in oil in a pan. Pound the ginger, garlic and brown together using a mortar and pestle and add this to the onions. Fry lightly, adding the turmeric, cardamom and salt. Mow stir in the meat and cook until browned. Add the chopped coriander leaves and garam masala. Then add the water, followed by the vegetables. Boil for 20 min until meat has cooked, the vegetables are tender and the liquid has been well reduced. The giema must be reasonably dry and not runny. Serve in a folded or rolled roti with atjar or salad

Swartzuur

A lamb stew with tamarind

There is no other name in any language for this popular traditional Malay dish. At first glance it looks like an ordinary lamb stew, but it has a delicious sweet-sour flavour and a enticing aroma.

1 kg boneless lamb, cut into 2 cm cubes

1 ½ cups chopped onions

3 cloves crushed garlic

¼ t allspice

1 cup tamarind water

1 cup water

1 T sugar

6 whole cloves

1 ½ salt

1 green chilli, seeded and chopped

¼ t freshly ground black pepper

1 egg (added at the end of the cooking period)

Combine all the ingredients, except the egg, in a heavy casserole and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly, and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the stew to cool for about 5 min. Ladle 1 cup of the liquid into a small mixing bowl. Add a well-beaten egg. Return to the casserole and thicken the sauce over gentle heat.

Tamarind water

(Makes about 2 cups)

100 g dried tamarind pulp

2 cups water

Places the tamarind pulp and the water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir and smash it occasionally with a spoon and cook for about 5 min until the pulp separates and begins to dissolve in the water. Rub the Tamarind though a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon before discarding the seeds and fibres.

The tamarind water can be kept in a screw top jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

2 T oil

2 kg middle neck of lamb, or ribs, cut into pieces

4 onion, sliced

1 t crushed garlic

2 T flour

1 t ground cinnamon

1 T sugar

1 kg tomatoes, peeled and diced

1 t salt

¼ t freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leave

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and stir in the meat. Whilst browning the meat, add the remaining ingredients, leaving the tomatoes for last.

Add the tomatoes when the meat has browned and drawn its own liquid. Bring the Bredie to the boil. Cover the casserole and cook the meat on the middle rack of a slow oven for 1 ½ hours or until meat is tender. Adjust the seasoning before serving. Garnish the Bredie with bay leaves. Garnish the Bredie with bay leaves.