Sosaties (Cape Malay Lamb Skewers)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small 16 cm saucepan, add the sliced onion and cook over medium heat for 6 min, until soft and translucent. Add the chopped garlic, curry powder and turmeric and stir for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly so the spices don't catch and burn.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbspOnion for the marinade, sliced 80 gGarlic cloves 2Mild curry powder 2 tspGround turmeric ½ tsp

   medium heat

2. Add the vinegar, water, apricot jam, brown sugar, bay leaves and salt and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 min, until the jam and sugar have dissolved. Take off the heat and let it cool completely; hot marinade would start to cook the outside of the meat.

   Add in this stepMalt vinegar (or cider vinegar) 3 tbspWater 50 mlApricot jam 2 tbspBrown sugar 1 tbspBay leaves 1Salt ¾ tsp

   medium-low heat

3. Put the 3 cm lamb cubes and the dried apricots in a glass or ceramic (non-metal) bowl. Pour over the cooled marinade, mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 h, ideally overnight, turning once.

   Add in this stepLamb shoulder or leg, 3 cm cubes 300 gDried apricots 6

4. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn. Quarter the skewer onions and separate them into stacks of 2–3 layers. Thread the lamb, apricots and onion alternately onto 4 skewers. Don't pack them too tightly or they won't cook evenly. Keep the leftover marinade for the sauce.

   Add in this stepSmall onions for the skewers 1

5. Grill over medium-hot coals (charcoal (medium heat)): the coals should be covered in white ash and you should be able to hold your hand 10 cm above the grill for 4–5 seconds. Cook for 10 min in total, turning every 2–3 minutes, until charred and caramelised in spots and still slightly pink inside (medium). The jam burns easily, so move the skewers if flames flare up.

   charcoal (medium heat)

6. Meanwhile, pour the leftover marinade into a small saucepan and boil hard over medium-high heat for 3 min, until thick and syrupy. It has held raw meat, so it must boil vigorously for at least 1 minute. Pile the skewers on a platter and spoon the sauce over.

   medium-high heat