A rich tomato based stew (bredie) that’s simple, tasty and versatile. You can add whichever red meat you prefer or swap out the meat for beans or lentils. Each ouma and aunty have their slightly different versions but at the end of the day it depends on your personal taste preference. I was in the mood to serve it with fluffy basmati rice but you can also serve it with various other starches or as a bunny chow (take that as a friendly reminder – IYKYK).
Tomato bredie or tomato stew if you want to call it that, is a traditional Cape Malay dish originating from Cape Town, South Africa. The dish is a favourite with locals and deeply rooted in the delicious Cape Malay food heritage and culture. Cape Malay food is lightly spiced and often has a sweet note to it.
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Origins
The word “bredie” is of Malaysian origin, and the dish was introduced to the Cape by Malays who were brought to the colony as slaves. The dish’s origins can be traced back to Dutch kitchens in the 1600s.
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Ingredients
Tomato bredie is typically made with mutton, vegetables, and a variety of spices. Some common spices include cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, thyme, marjoram, and chili.
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Preparation
The dish benefits from long, gentle simmering. Some recipes recommend cooking the lamb for at least a couple of hours, and then resting it overnight before reheating.
Tomato Bredie | Stew (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Tomato Bredie
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 2 large white onions halved or diced
- 2 bird's eye chilies depending on heat preference
- 3 allspice berries/pimento crushed
- 2 cloves crushed
- 4 bay leaves
- 1.5 kg bone-in red meat/lamb/beef
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp black pepper finely ground
- ½ tsp white pepper finely ground
- 1 tbsp fine salt separated
- 150 grams tomato paste
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 6 large potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1.5-1.8 litres vegetable stock or water
Basmati Rice
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice washed
- 3 cups water
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot to a medium heat and add onions, chilies, allspice, cloves, bay leaves and sauté till light brown
- Add in the meat and sauté until the meat and onions are very brown. Note: if the base of the pot starts to burn then add a dash of water.
- Once browned, add tomato paste and sugar. Sauté until the tomato paste starts to stick to the base of the pot. Add 500ml of water/stock or more, garlic, black pepper, white pepper, and half of the salt. Mix and cover. Simmer on medium heat, occasionally stirring and topping up with water/stock. Cook for 1-2 hours until the meat is tender - this'll depend on which cut of meat you're using. Note: I use between 1.5 and 1.8 liters of water/stock but the amount you use will depend on how thick/thin you want your stew to be.
- Meanwhile, make the basmati rice. Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a medium size saucepan. Top up with the water, butter and salt. Cover and bring to a medium high heat. Once boiling lower the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until the rice has soaked up all the water (about 15 minutes). Then set a side, with the lid on, and allow to steam until you're ready to serve.
- Once the meat is tender, add in the potatoes, top up with more water/stock. Do not cover and allow to cook and become soft. Add the remining salt/salt to taste and your stew is now ready. Enjoy tastebud!