Mutton curry

I remember so many wintery days and late nights when my father and I would go out in search of a salomie. A Cape Malay salomie is mutton, chicken or mince curry encased in a roti.

What you’ll need

1 large onion, chopped

5ml peeled and finely grated ginger

5ml crushed garlic

1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)

6 fresh curry leaves

15ml vegetable oil or ghee

5ml roasted masala or leaf masala

5ml kokhni masala

5ml ground cumin

5ml turmeric

2 cardamom pods

2 cinnamon sticks

1kg mutton or lamb pieces

5ml lemon juice

5ml salt

750ml water

1 large ripe tomato, skinned

and grated

200g can whole or chopped tomatoes

3 medium to large potatoes,

peeled and quartered

15ml white sugar

¼ bunch fresh coriander,

roughly chopped The how-to Place the onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and curry leaves into a blender, and blend until you have a fairly smooth, paste-like consistency. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over a medium heat, and add the blended ingredients.

Cook for 2-3 minutes and incorporate all of the dry spices, including the cardamom and the cinnamon sticks. Cook for at least 5 minutes to allow all of the spices’ flavours to release.

Add the meat, lemon juice and salt, and mix well. Cook, covered, over a high heat for 2 minutes and stir regularly.

Add 500ml of the water to the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes over a medium-high heat.

In the same blender (no need to wash or rinse), blend the fresh and canned tomatoes until smooth. Add the potatoes and puréed tomatoes to the cooked meat, and stir. Add the remaining 250ml of water and cook, covered, on high for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar and simmer for 30 more minutes, until the meat and potatoes are soft.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve while still hot, with rice or rotis.