Spicy lamb ‘bunny chow’ with mielie bread, relish and sour cream

Spicy lamb neck curry

120g butter
200ml sunflower oil
3 large onions, sliced
55g ginger, grated
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
60g Durban masala (or hot curry powder)
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons turmeric powder
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons cinnamon seeds
2 tablespoons ginger powder
185g tomato paste
1kg tomatoes, chopped
4kg lamb neck pieces
4 litres lamb stock
2 large onions, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Heat a heavy-based pot and add butter and oil. Add onions, ginger and garlic and cook the onions until caramelised.
2. Add the spices and cook until they are aromatic. Add tomato paste and fresh tomatoes and sear until the raw flavour in the tomato paste is cooked. Add meat and two litres of the lamb stock.
3. Cook for about eight hours, topping up with the rest of the stock and stirring occasionally.
4. Season to taste. Serve at this point or, if making the bunny chow, allow meat to cool, remove from the bones, shred the meat finely, and set aside to heat later.

Mielie bread bunny chow

Makes 1 loaf or 10 mini portions

1 can cream-style sweetcorn
3 eggs, lightly whisked
3 tablespoons melted butter
60g white sugar
140g cake flour, sifted
pinch of salt and pepper
3 teaspoons baking powder

1. Mix the sweetcorn, eggs and butter in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and season to taste.
2. For mini breads, put a greaseproof paper base into a small tomato paste can. Grease well and half-fill with mielie-bread mixture.
3. Bake at 180°C for about 10 minutes. Otherwise, put all of the mixture into a well-greased standard bread tin and bake for about 40 minutes.

Spicy tomato and onion relish

Aunty May’s recipe was passed down the generations. I remember as a young child helping my mom sterilise bottles for this delicious relish. We often ate it with cheese and biscuits but I have recently added it to my spicy lamb bunny chow recipe. Served with a thick slice of homemade bread topped with loads of butter, this relish is a tasty way to satisfy a hollow tummy.

Makes 6 cups

1½kg tomatoes
500g white onions
¼ cup fine salt
1 cup spirit vinegar
390g white sugar
2 teaspoons Durban masala
20g cake flour

1. Place chopped tomatoes, onions and salt in a bowl. Cover with plastic and leave overnight.
2. Bring the vinegar, sugar, masala and flour to the boil, stirring continuously until the sugar crystals are dissolved. Add the tomato and onion mixture, reduce heat and cook until a relish consistency is reached.
3. This takes about 55 minutes. Store in an airtight sterilised container in the fridge.

PLATING
Place warmed mielie cake in the middle of the plate. Top with heated shredded lamb. Serve with tomato and onion relish, and garnish with fresh coriander, sour cream and a grind of black pepper.