South African Cooking for Kids

Cape Malay-Inspired Mutton Curry

This fragrant curry combines tender mutton with onions, warm spices, carrots, apricots and banana. Because mutton can be a tougher cut of meat, slow cooking helps make it tender.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (about 3 1/3 pounds) boneless mutton shoulder, cut into cubes
• Oil, for cooking
• 4 onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 250 g (about 9 ounces) dried apricots
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1/2 cup wine vinegar
• 2 cups meat stock
• Cooked yellow rice, for serving

Directions

1. Cut the mutton into bite-size cubes if it is not already prepared.
2. Adult Step: Heat a small amount of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
3. Brown the meat in batches so the pieces are not crowded. Transfer the browned meat to a plate.
4. Add the onions to the pot and cook until they begin to soften.
5. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric and cook briefly until fragrant.
6. Return the meat to the pot.
7. Add the salt, pepper, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, carrots, apricots, bananas, vinegar and stock.
8. Bring to a gentle simmer.
9. Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the mutton is tender. Stir occasionally and add a little additional stock or water if needed.
10. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaves before serving.
11. Serve with cooked yellow rice.

Kid-Friendly Tip: Kids can measure the spices, count the cloves and bay leaves, prepare the fruit and help measure the stock and vinegar. An adult should handle raw meat, browning and the hot cooking pot.