Name: Lekker Curry Sauce for braai pap
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons of Sunflower Oil (or to preference); 2 Large onions, chopped; 2 Teaspoons Garlic & Ginger paste.; 1 Large cinnamon stick; 2 Star Anise; Curry leaves; 2 Teaspoons of Dhania & Jeera Powder (or to taste); 2 Tablespoons Mother-in-Law Masala (curry powder); 2 Teaspoons of Brown Sugar; 2 Tins of whole peeled tomatoes (same ones you would use to make a pasta sauce); Salt & Pepper to taste; Water as required

South African’s live to braai and pap en sous (maize meal and sauce) is always one of the highlights of the occasion.

Traditionally, the tomato based sous (sauce) that South Africans eat on their braai pap, is flavoured with chutney, Worcestershire sauce and sugar – but for us curry lovers, braai pap just gives us another opportunity to cook our favourite food, Durban Curry.

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Instructions

On a medium heat, add the oil to a heavy base saucepan. (I have a little cast iron pot which is perfect for making small quantities.)
Add the cinnamon stick, star anise and heat them up for about 10 seconds, to release flavour into the oil.
Add the onions and saute until they are soft
Add the garlic and ginger paste and saute for 1 minute. (your kitchen is starting to smell wonderful.)
Add the curry powder and continue to saute, until the mixture starts to dry up and stick to the bottom of the pot. (do not let it burn)
Add the Dhania & Jeera Powder
Add the tomatoes and saute, whilst crushing and breaking down the tomatoes with your utensil. (I have a flat fronted wooden spoon, which is just fantastic to cook with, as you can really scrape the bottom of the pan/pot to bring up those wonderful flavours which develop when the sauce starts to stick on the bottom of the pan/pot.
Add some water to get your sauce to a nice consistency
Add salt & pepper to taste
Turn down and let it slowly simmer to develop the flavours. Stir every couple of minutes.
When the oil starts coming to the top, you know that the sauce is almost ready. The longer you simmer, the more time the flavours have to develop. A good sign that the sauce is ready, is when you neighbour stops peeping over the wall and ‘pops in’ for some arb reason.
You may have to make another pot due to everybody who comes into the kitchen stealing a spoonful, neighbour included.