Denningvleis

THIS lamb dish is one of the oldest recorded recipes in South African cuisine. It has a sweet-sour taste and its spices are very evocative of Indonesian cuisine. Serve with yellow or savoury rice, mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables.

INGREDIENTS: 1.5-2kg boneless lamb pieces 3 large onions (or 5 regular size onions)

50ml oil for frying the onions

Marinade: 6-8 big cloves garlic, crushed ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg 6-8 whole cloves 6-8 whole allspice 1 teaspoon mustard seed 4 bay leaves Salt and pepper to taste 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar 20ml sugar (optional)

METHOD:

Trim the fat from the meat, remove the bones and cut the meat into pieces. Wash and drain. Roughly chop the onions. Combine marinade ingredients, add meat. Marinade the meat for at least one hour.

Heat a little oil in a heavy based pot and fry onions until golden brown.

Add the marinated meat to the onions and cook until meat is very tender and juicy. If you have the time, let it simmer on very low heat for a further half hour. If the meat gets too dry add some water.

Delicious served with yellow rice, mashed potatoes and boiled squash.

COOK’S TIP:

Soak 50ml tamarind in 100ml water and add to marinade ingredients instead of vinegar or lemon juice.

HEAR THEM CALL: The hadada or hadeda ibis, is an ibis found in sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three- to four-note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees.

SEE THEM CLIMB: Squirrel monkeys are New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.