Ian’s recipe for Lamb Potjiekos was published in the South African Illustrated Cookbook by Lehla Eldridge.
A ‘potjiekos’ is an Afrikaans stew slow-cooked in a ‘potjie’ over hot coals. A potjie is a three-legged cast-iron pot. If you’re cooking on a cooker instead of over a fire, this recipe will be easier prepared using a heavy-bottomed pot.
If you like your food hot and spicy, add more chillis and curry powder. You can also substitute pumpkin for butternut and tomatoes for spinach.
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
- 4 large onions, peeled and chopped
- 4T (60ml) sunflower oil
- 4t (20ml) medium curry powder
- 1t (5ml) crushed, dried naartjie peel
- 1T (15ml) ground coriander
- 4 curry leaves
- 4 bay leaves
- 600g lamb neck or shank, cubed or sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 carrots, scraped and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 200g spinach
- 1T (15ml) salt
It is best to start cooking your lamb potjie when the coals are not too hot or ‘medium heat’ in kitchen terms. Begin by browning the onions in the oil in the potjie. Add the curry powder, naartjie peel, cumin, chillies, coriander, curry leaves and bay leaves, and sauté for a minute or so. Add the meat and brown with the onions and simmer. Add a layer of potatoes, followed by layers of carrot, butternut, garlic and finally spinach. Season with salt, replace the lid and leave to simmer slowly for approximately 3 hours until the meat is tender and the vegetables cooked. Use a large spoon when dishing up and serve the stew with rice or samp and beans, pot bread and a chutney atjar.
