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Groenboontjiebredie
Groenboontjiebredie: Cape Malay-style lamb and green bean stew cooked until the beans melt into the sauce
Groenboontjiebredie is one of the old bredies of the Western Cape, the slow stews Cape families have cooked for generations, usually for Sunday lunch with white rice and a sweet beetroot salad. Lamb on the bone is browned with onions, then simmered for hours with sliced green beans and potatoes until the beans soften completely and the potatoes break down to thicken the sauce. The usual mistake is treating the beans like a crisp vegetable: here they should be soft and olive green. Slow-cooker: after browning, cook on low for 8 hours. Chef's tip: grate a little nutmeg in at the end; it is the classic Cape seasoning for a green bean bredie.
- Total time
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 ¼ lb lamb neck or shoulder chops
- 2 onionssliced
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 cup water or lamb stock
- 1 ⅓ lb green beanssliced diagonally
- 4 potatoespeeled, quartered
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 green chilli (optional)chopped
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat and brown the 2 ¼ lb lamb neck or shoulder chops in batches for 4–5 minutes a side. Lift out.
15 minStep 3: Return the lamb, add the 1 cup water or lamb stock, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
60 minStep 4: Add the 1 ⅓ lb green beans, 4 potatoes, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 green chilli if using. Cover and simmer for 1 hour more, stirring now and then, until the beans are very soft and the potatoes are starting to collapse.
60 minStep 5: Mash a few potato pieces into the sauce to thicken it, stir in the ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Serve with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does groenboontjiebredie take?
- About 160 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 140 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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