Denningvleis

Shihaam Domingo says that every time she cooks Denningvleis for her family, it evokes memories of her grandmother and mother’s kitchen.

I had a yearning to stir a pot and cook something special that takes time in the kitchen, so I started making denningvleis. This was a favourite of my husband when we were newlyweds. He had never had it before I made it for him and he loves a colourful plate.

When he got home and smelled the food he asked “are you making that dish we used to have in the time before kids?” joking about the price of lamb.

I hadn’t made this in over a year so I really enjoyed every moment as I added the layers of flavour with the browning of the onion in a dry pot and then the all spice and beautiful bay leaves grown by Kim Bradnick in Pringle Bay and gifted to me, garlic, red chili, tamarind and brown sugar.

There is something very soothing about cooking a meal like this for my family. It evokes memories of my grandmother and my mother’s kitchen. The smells and the gratitude of each step as the colour deepens and the smell intensifies. And then serving the meal and watching as my sons suck the bones clean with enjoyment.

I hope with my whole heart that everyone on this group had a good meal today and keep those who are with out food in my prayers if there is anyone in the area I am in Betties bay my door is always open to assist where I can.

My recipe is influenced by Faldeela Williams of Cape Malay Cooking, my mom and my Grandma Nanna

Denningvleis

Shihaam Domingo

Note

• I didn’t use any oil in this recipe but I know my mom and gran added oil once the onion was dark brown.

Ingredients

• 1 kg lambs chops

• 4 big onions, 1 cubed and the rest chopped (I add my onion in stages)

•  7 all spice

• 7 bay leaves

• a few garlic cloves, chopped or grated

• crushed dried chili

• ¼ cup vinegar

• 3 tsp tamarind paste

• ½ cup boiling water

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 red chilies, chopped

• freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. First brown one onion, cubed, in a dry pot until it is dark brown, then add the all spice and bay leaves with your lamb chops and the garlic. Add little bits of water if needed.

2. Next, add the rest of the chopped onions, dried chili and vinegar and allow to cook for at least 45 to 60 minutes, adding bits of hot water as needed. You want to brown your meat and create a gravy slowly.

3. Then mix the tamarind paste with the boiling water and add it to your pot slowly and constantly stirring while your meat simmers. Also add the salt and fresh pepper.

4. As your meat starts getting soft, add the brown sugar and allow to cook. This takes about 1½ hours. Just keep adding tiny bits of water at a time as you want to smoor your meat lekker brown.

5. For extra kick I added the red chili in the final 10 minutes of cooking. I also add bit of freshly grated nutmeg at the very end of my cooking.

6. Serve with yellow rice (Basmati rice cooked with salt, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. No sugar and butter.) and cooked veggies like squash, butternut and carrots.

7. Enjoy!