Curried kebabs

Braai Day is around the corner, and home-made kebabs are in a class of their own. They can also be grilled in the oven. The curry sauce can be frozen for later use and works just as well for lamb and pork.

Serves 4–6

Preparation time 30 minutes plus marinating time

Cooking time 10–20 minutes

YOU NEED

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil

• 2 large onions, sliced

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) curry powder

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) turmeric

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar

• 2 cups (500 ml) water

• 1 cup (250 ml) vinegar

• ½ cup (125 ml) smooth apricot jam

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornflour, if needed, to thicken the marinade

• 1 leg of lamb, deboned and cubed

• curry leaves (optional)

THIS IS HOW

Heat a little oil in a saucepan over a low heat and stir-fry the onions until soft. Add the curry powder, turmeric and sugar and fry until the spices become fragrant. Add the water, vinegar, apricot jam and bay leaves and cook for 15-20 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough for a marinade, but can be slightly thickened with cornflour if necessary. Let the marinade cool down to room temperature, then pour it over the cubed meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight in the fridge.

Thread the meat onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for a few hours (to prevent them from catching alight on the fire), then braai the kebabs over hot coals until cooked to your liking. I prefer them half-cooked so that they remain nice and juicy. The kebabs can also be cooked in the oven at 200 °C for 15–20 minutes or until done to your liking. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving with a lovely salad and rosemary potatoes. >