This iconic South African stew like Tomato Bredie is the perfect comfort food for winter. Add potatoes or KOO chickpeas or White Beans for a one-pot meal or serve with polenta, couscous or rice.
1 kg tomatoes
10 ml olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2.5 ml ground ginger
5 ml crushed garlic
5 ml dried thyme
5 ml salt
1 kg lamb or beef stew meat with bones
15 ml sugar
15 ml chutney
200 ml white wine
250 g green beans, topped and tailed and sliced into 2 cm pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 ml cake flour
- To skin the tomatoes, fill a medium saucepan half full with water and bring it to a boil.
- Fill a medium mixing bowl half full with water and add some ice cubes. Set the bowl aside.
- Use a utility knife and slice a shallow X into the bottom of the tomato (opposite the stem side).
- Place 4 tomatoes at a time into the boiling water and boil the tomatoes until you see the X begin to split open wider – about 25 seconds.
- Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place the tomatoes into the bowl of ice water and let them cool off. This will help to stop any “cooking” that has started.
- Remove the tomatoes from the ice water and place them on a chopping board.
- Begin peeling the skin at the X, pulling the skin back gently towards the stem side.
- Discard the skin and chop the tomatoes with a cook’s knife. Transfer it to a medium mixing bowl and set it aside. Do the same with the rest of the tomatoes.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add half of the meat. Stir-fry the meat until it is browned on all sides.
- Transfer the browned meat to a plate and do the same with the rest of the meat.
- Return all the browned meat to the saucepan and add the onion and spices. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes to the saucepan. Cover the saucepan with a lid cook on a low heat for 45 minutes.
- Add the sugar, chutney, wine and green beans to the saucepan and continue cooking the stew on the stove for a further 35 to 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- To thicken the pan juices, combine the cake flour with a few tablespoons of the liquid from the saucepan in a measuring jug.
- Stir the cake flour mixture into the stew and mix well.
- Cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the stew steaming hot with polenta, mashed potato, couscous or rice.
