Tomato Bredie (Stew) Recipe

Traditional South African Tomato Bredie (Tomato Stew) & Recipe. This is definitely a nostalgic dish for South Africans especially amongst Afrikaans & Muslim South Africans. This is plain home cooking but out right satisfying. The end result is a fantastic, simple warming stew of melting tender lamb flavoured with a rich tomato sauce.

Don’t be put off by the length of cooking time, this pot will do well on its own. Just enjoy what you are doing and enjoy the rich flavours of South Africa.

INGREDIENTS:

 1 ½ kg Stewing lamb/mutton in chunks (good quality)

 2 Large Onions

 1 Cup flour

 8 Large ripe tomatoes

 1 Tin good quality Tomatoes

 2 Tablespoons salt

 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

 2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar

 2 Tablespoons Chutney

 2 Teaspoons White pepper

 6 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

 ½ cup chopped parsley for garnishing

 2 Tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon rind

 Olive Oil for frying.

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan just enough to cover the bottom of saucepans. Peel onions and slice thinly. Add to oil, stir fry until soft but don’t let them burn.

2. While the onions are softening, roll the lamb/mutton pieces in the flour, and add them in batches to the pot to brown. They must be well covered with flour which helps the sauce thicken as you proceed. I took some onions out before I added the meat, and then with every batch meat I put some soft onions with it.

3. Add more oil if necessary and don’t crowd the meat, take out the browned pieces and onions with a slotted spoon and keep on a plate, and then you do the rest of the meat in the same manner.

4. When all the meat has been browned, pour off all extra fat and oil.

5. Put the browned meat and onions back in the saucepan.

6. Make sure your tomatoes are ripe enough. If your tomatoes are small you’ll need considerably more tomatoes. The most important thing is they must be full of flavour.

7. Skin the tomatoes by simply putting them in a large pot. (You can cut out the core on both sides, from the top to the bottom make 4 lashes, 1/4’s). Cover them with boiling water for a minute or two, rinse with cold water and you will see the skin removes very easily.

8. Cut them in the saucepan on medium heat, juices and all and the tin tomatoes. Add the Salt, Worcestershire sauces, Chutney, Sugar and Pepper.

9. Now watch the pot for a while. The tomatoes should provide enough liquid – do NOT ever add water to this dish rather add extra tomatoes.

10. Turn down the heat, put lid on at angle to allow steam to escape and simmer gently for about 1 hour.

11. Add the garlic. You can add peeled potatoes if you wish.

12. Simmer gently until potatoes are tender.

13. Your finished dish should be deep reddish brown and the tomatoes should have reduced to a thick sauce. There must not be a lot of liquid, if there is, turn up die heat, stir well, and let the extra liquid evaporate.

14. Grate the lemon rind and sprinkle the parsley over the dish. Served with brown or white rice, fresh vegetable and green salad.

15. It is important to taste it before serving. Adding more sugar to the finished dish is important as the dish should not be acidic.

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