AI-generated image
Monkey gland sauce
Monkey gland sauce: Johannesburg's sweet-tangy onion, tomato and chutney steak sauce
Despite the alarming name, there are no monkeys in it, and the story most often told is that chefs at a grand Johannesburg hotel in the 1930s cooked it up from bottles in the kitchen for guests who complained about the food. Today it turns up at every steakhouse, roadhouse and braai in the country, poured over burgers, chips and grilled mushrooms. Soft onion and garlic are simmered with tomato, fruit chutney, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce into a glossy, mahogany sauce that is sweet, tangy and gently peppery, ideal with a halloumi steak, a bean burger or a portobello off the braai. Ordinary Worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies, so use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, and check that the chutney contains no honey to keep it vegan. Boiling it hard is the mistake that catches the sugar and turns it bitter. Chef's tip: a little cracked black pepper at the end gives the steakhouse kick.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionmedium, very finely chopped
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 7 oz chopped tomatoeshalf a tin
- ¼ cup tomato ketchup
- 3 ½ oz fruit chutneysuch as homemade blatjang or a mild peach chutney; check the label for honey
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp black peppercoarsely cracked
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp chilli sauce (optional)for heat
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat and cook 1 onion, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not brown.
6 minStep 2: Add 2 cloves garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
1 minStep 3: Add 7 oz chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup tomato ketchup, 3 ½ oz fruit chutney, 2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, ½ tsp mustard powder, ¼ cup water and 1 tsp chilli sauce, and stir until combined.
Step 4: Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Blend it smooth with a stick blender if you prefer.
8 minStep 5: Stir in ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, taste, then add the rest of ½ tsp black pepper just before serving, warm or at room temperature. It keeps in a covered jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does monkey gland sauce take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Vietnamese
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.