Entree: South Africa – Cape Malay – Denningvleis (Cape Malay sweet-and-sour braised lamb stew flavored with curry, vinegar and apricot)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (16 g) Cape Malay curry powder (or mild curry powder)
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef or lamb stock
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (160 g) apricot jam
- 1/2 cup (75 g) dried apricots, chopped
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Pat the lamb pieces dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a heavy Dutch oven or deep pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in batches until well seared; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the butter, then sauté the sliced onions until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in the curry powder, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Return the lamb to the pot.
4. Add the stock, white wine vinegar, lemon juice and brown sugar, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low.
5. Cook gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender and the liquid has reduced. Stir in the apricot jam and chopped dried apricots and continue to simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes until sauce is glossy and thickened.
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, stir in lemon zest, and remove bay leaves. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve hot with steamed rice or mashed potatoes.