Southern African recipes: Sosaties

Sosaties are one of the great braai foods of Southern Africa. The skewers are sweet and sour as well as a little curry-ish. Enjoy!

• 1.5kg lamb, cut into cubes
• 200gr dried apricots
• 3 tbs oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• fresh chillies, chopped (optional)
• 1 tbs curry powder
• 200 ml vinegar
• 200 ml water or red or white wine
• 2 tbs apricot jam or tamarind paste
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• wooden skewers

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and curry powder and saute for another minute or so. Add the fresh chillies (optional).
2. Add the vinegar, water or wine, jam or tamarind paste, brown sugar and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place the lamb and apricots in a large bowl. Pour the cooked marinade over the lamb and apricots and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one day (three days would be perfect).
4. Remove the lamb cubes and apricots from the marinade and thread on skewers that have been soaked in water. Alternate between chunks of meat and the apricots.
5. Grill the sosaties on a hot grill, turning to cook on all sides.
6. While the skewers are grilling, bring the marinade to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes. Serve hot in a bowl as a sauce for the sosaties.

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